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Three-dimensional (3D) sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres: growth mechanism and highly enhanced photocatalytic activity

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Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres were synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method. The effects of preparation parameters on the microstructure of 3D sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller technologies. The growth mechanism and photocatalytic activity of 3D sea-urchin-like TiO2 microspheres were discussed. The results of electron microscopy characterizations SEM showed that the microspheres were consisted of numerous one-dimensional (1D) nanorods. A three-step growth model: oxygenated to be 1D nanorods, self-assembly and protonation, was proposed to illustrate the growth mechanism of sea-urchin-like structures. The synthesized 3D sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres exhibited a better photocatalytic activity for photodegradation of rhodamine B under sunlight irradiation compared to that of P25, which was attributed to the special 3D hierarchical nanostructure, the increased number of surface active sites and anatase crystal structure.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21171027).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, 410114, Hunan, China

    Yi Zhou, Yutang Wang, Qin Yi, Mengyao Li, Xuzhi Li, Pan Deng & Yan Huang

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  1. Yi Zhou
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  2. Yutang Wang
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  3. Qin Yi
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  4. Mengyao Li
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  5. Xuzhi Li
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  6. Pan Deng
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  7. Yan Huang
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Correspondence to Yi Zhou.

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Zhou, Y., Wang, Y., Yi, Q. et al. Three-dimensional (3D) sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 microspheres: growth mechanism and highly enhanced photocatalytic activity. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 25, 4156–4162 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2143-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-014-2143-4

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