Fabrication of TiO2 Nanoparticles by Electrostatic Jet Using the Low Dielectric Constant Solvent

Tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) was used as a low dielectric constant solvent for the fabrication of TiO2 nanoparticles by electrostatic jet. The phase, morphology and diameter distribution properties of the resulting TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by XRD and SEM, respectively. As the PVAc content of the precursor solutions increased, the diameter of the electrostatic jet PVAc/butyl titanate composite nanoparticles increased. The resulting composite nanoparticles possessed a smooth surface and displayed perfect spherical structures when the PVAc content was 3 wt%, where as a PVAc content of 9 wt% or more led to a co-continuous structure of nanoparticles and fibers, other were erythrocyte-liked in shape and contained large pits on their surface. Anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were formed from the butyl titanate/PVAc nanoparticles following their calcination at 550 degrees C. The diameter distribution of the TiO2 nanoparticles was wide, with the values falling in the range of 623.8 +/- 122.8 to 1328.3 +/- 247.6 nm. When its diameter is 238 nm and adding content is 2 g/L, the 40 min degradation rate of methylene blue catalyzed by titanium oxide nanoparticles is 92.39%.