Fabrication and characterization of TiO2/short MWNTs with enhanced photocatalytic activity

TiO2/short MWNTs nanocomposites were prepared by the sol–gel method using butyl titanate and short MWNTs as starting materials in the solvent of isopropyl alcohol. Their photocatalytic activity in the degradation of X-3B was studied. The effects of mass ratio of short MWNTs to butyl titanate, and heat-treatment temperature on the photoactivity of TiO2/short MWNTs nanocomposites were discussed. For comparison purpose, other photocatalysts were also employed in the photodegradation experiment. Thermogravimetric–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–Vis absorption spectra were utilized to characterize the prepared photocatalysts. The results showed that the TiO2/short MWNTs nanocomposites synthesized with 1% mass ratio of short MWNTs to butyl titanate had the best photoactivity.