Electro-chemical Preparation of TiO<sub>2</sub>/CNT Electrodes with TNB Electrolyte and Their Photoelectrocatalytic Effect

Zhang, Feng-Jun; Chen, Ming-Liang; Oh, Won-Chun; Zhang, Feng-Jun; Chen, Ming-Liang; Oh, Won-Chun

doi:2009.46.6.554

J. Korean Ceram. Soc. > Volume 46(6); 2009 > Article

Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society 2009;46(6): 554.
doi: https://doi.org/10.4191/kcers.2009.46.6.554

Electro-chemical Preparation of TiO₂/CNT Electrodes with TNB Electrolyte and Their Photoelectrocatalytic Effect

Feng-Jun Zhang, Ming-Liang Chen¹, Won-Chun Oh¹

Department of Advanced Materials & Science Engineering, Hanseo University,School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Architecture
¹Department of Advanced Materials & Science Engineering, Hanseo University

ABSTRACT

We investigate a method for the electrochemical preparation of titanium dioxide/carbon nanotube ($TiO_2$/CNT) composites involving the electroplating of Ti in a titanium n-butoxide (TNB) electrolyte into a CNT matrix. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of $TiO_2$/CNT composites decrease as the electrochemical operating time increases. Changes in XRD patterns show a typical anatase type on the $TiO_2$/CNT composite prepared with a CNT matrix by the electroplating method in a TNB solution. In SEM micrographs, the titanium complex particles are uniformly distributed on the CNT surface. The results of chemical elemental analysis for the $TiO_2$/CNT composites show that most of the spectra for these samples produce stronger peaks for carbon and Ti metal than for any other element. Finally, the prominent photoelectrocatalytic activities of the $TiO_2$/CNT composites can be attributed to the combined effects of photodegradation of $TiO_2$, electron assistance of CNT, and the application of a sufficient voltage.

Key words: $TiO_2$, CNT, Electrochemical, TNB, Photoelectrocatalytic activity