Carbon-modified TiO2 nanotubes with enhanced photocatalytic activity synthesized by a facile wet chemistry method

In order to use solar irradiation efficiently in photocatalytic reactions, carbon-modified TiO2 nanotubes were prepared by a facile wet chemistry method. In this composite, most carbon atoms form a mixed layer composed of carbonaceous species on the surface of TiO2 nanotubes. Moreover, this composite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue than unmodified titanate nanotubes under artificial solar light, and the highest photodegradation efficiency after 7 h irradiation can reach 97.3%.