Titania/mesoporous silica nanotubes with efficient photocatalytic properties

Ordered nanocrystalline titania-mesoporous silica nanotube structures are synthesized by hydrolysis of the titania precursor inside pours silica shell. Silica coating surrounding carbon nanotubes was further removed by thermal reduction. The proposed method of functionalization silica channels with the titania nanoparticles preclude aggregation of TiO₂ nanoparticles. The nanocrystalline silica/titania (mt-SiO₂/TiO₂) nanotubes were prepared according to the describe method has high specific surface area and possesses excellent photocatalytic properties capable of decomposing phenol and methylene blue in a short time. Since the nanocrystalline TiO₂ is produced in the wall of the mesoporous silica tube, phenol or dye molecules can react with TiO₂ nanoparticles from both the inside and outside.