Effects of Calcination Temperature on Properties of 0.5%Al-3%In-TiO2 Photocatalyst Prepared using Sol-gel Method

0.5%Al-3%In-TiO2 was prepared using sol-gel method to study the influence of calcination temperature. XRD patterns indicate anatase structure in all of the 0.5%Al-3%In-TiO2 samples. The crystallite size and cell volume of anatase TiO2 increase with increasing calcination temperature. The increase of calcination temperature leads to enlarging pore size and shrinking pore volume. The specific surface area, surface adsorbed -OH, and adsorption capacity of the materials decrease with increasing calcination temperature. The 0.5%Al-3%In-TiO2 sample calcinated at 400 degrees C has the maximum photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange can lead to total decoloration in 40 min. Total methyl orange decoloration efficiency decreases from 100% to 85.9% on 0.5%Al-3%In-TiO2 after 6 reaction cycles.