Nonstoichiometric titanium dioxide nanotubes with enhanced catalytical activity under visible light

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that nonstoichiometric titanium dioxide nanotubes exhibit approximately twice the catalytic activity under visible light compared to standard TiO2, due to their unique nonstoichiometry and nanotubular structure.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel anodization technique to grow nonstoichiometric TiO2 nanotubes with enhanced visible-light catalytic activity.

Findings

Catalytic activity under visible light is doubled in nonstoichiometric nanotubes.

Enhanced activity is linked to nonstoichiometry near the nanotube interface.

The nanotubes are grown using an original anodization method.

Abstract

The catalytic activity of nanotubular titanium dioxide films formed during the oxidation of acetone to carbon dioxide under the action of visible light with a wavelength of 450 nm was found to be approximately 2 times higher compared to standard titanium dioxide (Degussa P25). The nanotubular films were grown by the anodization of titanium foil using an original technique. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the films are attributed to enhanced activity in the visible spectrum by the nonstoichiometry of titanium dioxide near the interface between the nanotubular film and the titanium foil substrate.