Facile synthesis and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanoparticles supported on porous glass beads

This paper presents a novel immobilization method for the preparation of highly dispersed TiO 2 nanoparticles supported on porous glass beads. The method involves an in situ ion exchange process and a calcination process. Mono-dispersed TiO 2 nanoparticles exhibiting the anatase phase with different mean diameter and different loading amount have been successfully prepared through the controllable and green way. With the increase of loading amount of Ti from 0.08   wt.% to 4.55   wt.%, the mean diameter of the TiO 2 nanoparticles varied from 3.8 to 5.3   nm. And the band gaps of the TiO 2 nanoparticles with the highest and lowest loading amount are 3.25 and 3.00   eV, respectively. The prepared TiO 2 nanoparticles supported on porous glass beads showed excellent photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO). For the catalyst with a Ti content of 0.08   wt.%, when the dosage was 1.93e−5   g/mL, 65% of the total MO decomposed after 30   min; for the catalyst with a Ti content of 2.56   wt.%, when the dosage reached 0.81e−3   g/mL, complete degradation was observed.