A NOVEL APPROACH TO SYNTHESIS ANDCHARACTERIZATION OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE NANOPARTICLESFOR PHOTOCATALYTIC APPLICATIONS

This paper presents synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles by solgel method using titanium (IV) isopropoxide. The method is simple and easy to reproduce. Structural and micro structural characterizations of TiO2 nanoparticles were carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The particles of synthesized TiO2, shows anatase nature crystal structure, when calcined at 500 degrees C and 600 degrees C for 5 hours, but when calcined at 700 degrees C they undergo structural changes to rutile structure at the same duration of calcination. XRD calculations of TiO2 prepared by solgel method showed particle size from 30 to 47nm. Elemental analysis was done by energy dispersive X-ray atomic spectrum. TiO2 nano particles were further characterised by UV-Visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence study. From the UV-Visible analysis, it has been revealed that when calcinations temperature increases, the band gap decreases from 3.1 to 2.85eV. The luminescence property of the TiO(2)nanoparticles was analysed by the photoluminescence spectrum, which confirmed that direct recombination between electrons in the conduction band and holes in the valence band. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized TiO(2)nanoparticles has been investigated using methylene blue dye as model dye. The irradiation time of the TiO(2)nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method were taken into account for the photocatalytic degradation process.