Nanocomposite film of TiO2 nanotube and polyoxometalate towards photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene

• The film of POMs and TiO2 nanotubes was prepared by electrodeposition.
• The photocatalytic activity of the composite film for nitrobenzene was investigated.
• The composite film showed higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 nanotubes.
• The introduction of POMs into TiO2 could retard electron–hole recombination.

The composite film based on polyoxometalates (POMs)-modified TiO2 nanotubes was prepared by electrodeposition method for the photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene. The composite film was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which indicated that the POMs were well introduced into the TiO2 nanotubes. Furthermore, the photocatalytic properties of the TiO2 nanotubes and POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes were evaluated by the decomposition of nitrobenzene. POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes showed much higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 nanotubes. These results provide a promising route to effectively photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene by POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes.

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