Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity of acidic sulfated nano titania for the degradation of Reactive Orange 4 under UV light

▶ The sulfate modified titania was prepared by sol-gel method using sulfuric acid. ▶ Sulfate loading inhibits the phase transformation and enhances the thermal stability. ▶ TiO2-SO42− is more advantageous than the metal doped catalysts. ▶ Sulfated titania has more acidic sites when compared to bare TiO2. ▶ TiO2-SO42− is more efficient than bare TiO2 and TiO2-P25 for RO 4 dye degradation.