Low-temperature synthesis of anatase-brookite composite nanocrystals: the junction effect on photocatalytic activity

Anatase-brookite composite nanocrystals have successfully been synthesized at 50 °C using a simple liquid-phase process. The photocatalytic activity of the sample for the gas-phase oxidation of CH3CHO is 5.4 times greater than that of a single-phase anatase sample with comparable crystallite size and surface area. Electron energy loss spectra suggest that this high activity results from junction between anatase and brookite crystals.