Preparation and Photodegradation of TiO2 Thin Films on the Inner Wall of Quartz Tubes

Titanium dioxide thin films on the inner wall of quartz tubes were prepared in situ by the sol–gel method. Meanwhile, copper and cerium were loaded onto the surface of the titanium dioxide thin films to enhance photocatalytic activity and broaden the range of light absorption. X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrum, N2gas adsorption, UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, photoluminescene spectroscopy, and so on were used to characterize the structure, morphology, chemical composition, and optical properties of the prepared photocatalyst. Methylene blue (MB) was used as a simulated organic pollutant to study the photocatalytic performance of the photocatalyst, which was a translucent, structurally stable, and reusable high-efficiency photocatalytic catalyst. Under UV lamp irradiation, the MB photodegradation efficiency was 94.5%, which reached 91.2% after multiple cycles.