Metal-organic frameworks derived cake-like anatase/rutile mixed phase TiO2 for highly efficient photocatalysis

Cake-like anatase/rutile mixed phase TiO2 (A/R TiO2) was successfully prepared through pyrolyzation of metal-organic frameworks MIL-125. Its morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance for degradation of nitrobenzene under UV light irradiation were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, photocurrent and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. The results show that the cake-like A/R TiO2 exhibits excellent photocatalytic performance with a maximum nitrobenzene degradation rate of 97% and corresponding mineralization rate of 77% at 100 min under UV light irradiation, which is better than those of cake-like rutile TiO2 and anatase TiO2. The improved photocatalytic performance is ascribed to the reduced electron-hole pair recombination in cake-like A/R TiO2.