Preparation and characterization of Pt–TiO2–SiO2 mesoporous materials and visible-light photocatalytic performance

TiO2–SiO2 metal oxide materials with a mesostructure have been prepared by a novel method in which hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were controlled by the pH change of acidic solution. The Pt-modified TiO2–SiO2 catalysts were synthesized by the photo-reduction method. The resulting materials showed a high photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methyl orange in the visible-light range. A reaction mechanism was proposed and discussed.