Morphology and crystalline phase-controllable synthesis of titania nanoparticles via acrylamide gel method and their photocatalytic properties

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles with average particle size of about 5 nm to 60 nm were readily synthesized via a simple, fast and low cost method; polyacrylamide gel method. Furthermore, the effect of the used acid and solvent together with calcination temperature, on crystallite size, morphology, band gaps of resultant material were investigated. The products were characterized by means of thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy analysis. The XRD results show that the presence of different anions in the precursor solution leads to the formation of samples with different anatase/rutile ratios. Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of Yellow GX aqueous solution under ultraviolet radiation. The results show that the photocatalyst (TEPCI), containing 79% anatase exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity, which is due to a synergistic effect between anatase and rutile.