Anatase TiO2 powder: Synthesis, characterization and application for photocatalytic degradation of 3, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid

White, crystalline TiO2 powder has been synthesized in a large scale by a single-step chemical reaction between oleic acid and titanium (IV) isopropoxide. The crystal structure of the powder was evaluated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and the BET surface area was estimated by nitrogen adsorption-desorption technique. The structure of TiO2 strongly depends on the synthesis temperature. The powder synthesized at 400 °C is purely anatase, that prepared at 600 °C is mainly rutile and those synthesized at 450 °C, 500 °C and 550 °C are mixtures of anatase and rutile TiO2. The powder synthesized at 450 °C contains 68% anatase and 32% rutile TiO2 with an effective surface area of 78 m2 g−1. The photocatalytic activity of the above powder has been studied with photodegradation of commercial 3, 4-dihydroxy benzoic acid. The recyclability of the catalyst has been tested after heat treatment of the used TiO2.