PRODUCTION OF TiO2 PARTICLES BY SOL-GEL ULTRASOUND ASSISTED FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Synthesis of TiO2 particles was made by sol-gel technique assisted of ultrasonic radiation
from an alcoholic solution of titanium isopropoxide. Then was subjected to a heat treatment
in air at 350 °C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirmed
that the size of the crystalline domains is between 10 and 37 nm. Infrared spectroscopy study
confirms the presence of -OH groups on the surface of TiO2. Modification of the morphology
and surface area, due to the influence of exposure time to the ultrasonic radiation, is evidenced
by studies of SEM and BET respectively. Properties of TiO2 obtained were studied by
monitoring the degradation of solutions of methyl orange in the presence of UV-A radiation.
It was observed that larger the ultrasonic radiation exposure during the TiO2 synthesis larger
the constant velocity for the photocatalytic reaction for the methyl orange.