Template synthesis of titanium dioxide coatings and determination of their photocatalytic activity by aqueous oxidation of humic acid

In this work, aqueous photocatalytic oxidation of humic acid, present in various waters as naturally occurring compound or anthropogenic pollutant, was studied using self-synthesized titanium dioxide coatings. To obtain the latter, template synthesis, widely used for the production of photocatalysts with improved surface properties and activity, was applied with variations in template material, N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide content. The catalysts were characterized using XRD, UV-VIS spectroscopy, and SEM. The activity of TiO2 coatings in the degradation of humic acid proved to be superior to that of commercial photocatalyst P25 (Evonik) The dependence of the photocatalysts' performance on the template content in the synthesis precursors, which was responsible for the various surface features of the coatings, was established and explained.