Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ti[1-x]V x O[2-y]C y whiskers in hydroquinone oxidation in aqueous solutions

Ti1-x V (x) O2-y C (y) (0 a parts per thousand currency sign x a parts per thousand currency sign 0.10 and x = 0.50) whiskers having the anatase structure were synthesized via thermolysis of vanadium-doped titanium glycolate of composition Ti1-x V (x) (OCH2CH2O)(2) (0 a parts per thousand currency sign x a parts per thousand currency sign 0.10 and x = 0.50). The starting reagents used to prepare Ti1-x V (x) (OCH2CH2O)(2) were mixtures of coprecipitated titanium and vanadyl hydroxides, which were heated in ethylene glycol at T a parts per thousand currency sign 200A degrees C: (1 - x)TiO(OH)(2) + xVO(OH)(2) + 2HOCH(2)CH(2)OH = Ti1-x V (x) (OCH2CH2O)(2) + 3H(2)Oa dagger. Thermolysis of vanadium-doped titanium glycolate in various gas media over a wide range of temperatures is useful to prepare titania samples doped with both vanadium and carbon to form a phase of the general composition Ti1 - x V (x) O2 - y C (y) whiskers prepared by thermolyzing Ti1 - x V (x) (OCH2CH2O)(2) in air at 450A degrees C were found to have a high photocatalytic activity in hydroquinone oxidation in aqueous solutions irradiated in the UV spectral range; the photocatalyst's activity increases with increasing vanadium concentration. When hydroquinone was irradiated in the blue, the maximal catalytic activity was discovered in a sample of composition Ti0.50V0.50O2-y C (y) . Quantum-chemical calculations support experimental data that the double doping of titania (Ti1-x V (x) O2-y C (y) ) enhances its photocatalytic activity compared to undoped anatase or anatase doped in one sublattice: Ti1-x V (x) O-2 and TiO2-y C (y) .