Preparation of high photocatalytic activity TiO2 with a bicrystalline phase containing anatase and TiO2 (B)

A simple method for preparing high photoactive photocatalysts with anatase and TiO2 (B) has been developed by controlled hydrolysis of titanium butoxide with water generated “in situ” via an esterification reaction between acetic acid and ethanol. The existence of a very uncommon crystal phase, TiO2 (B) was verified by XRD, HRTEM and Raman. The photocatalytic activity of samples prepared was higher than that of Degussa P25 for the liquid phase photocatatlytic degradation of active yellow XRG dye, which is mostly due to the modified sol–gel process and bicrystalline structure containing anatase and TiO2 (B).