Facile and large-scale synthesis of hollow TiO2 nanostructures from TiCl3 solution

Hollow TiO2 nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal process using TiCl3 solution as Ti sources. The as-obtained product consists of quasi-spherical hollow nanostructures in the diameter of about 500 nm with anatase phase. The control experiments indicated that the synergism of H2O2 and KBF4 plays an important role in the formation of hollow TiO2 nanostructures. Compared with solid TiO2 nanostructures, the photocatalytic property of hollow TiO2 nanostructures has been markedly improved in degradation of methyl orange under UV light. This synthesis procedure is facile and thus promotes large-scale production of hollow TiO2 nanostructures.