Improvement of photocatalytic activity of brookite titanium dioxide nanorods by surface modification using chemical etching

Surface morphology of brookite titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods was modified by chemical etching with aqueous hydrogen (H2O2)–ammonia (NH3) or sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution. The brookite nanorods after chemical etching were characterized by TEM, SAED, FE-SEM, XRD and specific surface area measurements. Brookite nanorods after chemical etching with H2O2–NH3 solution exposed new crystal faces in the tips, and nanorods with sharper tips were observed. On the other hand, etching with H2SO4 at 200 °C induced morphological changes in the tip faces and broadened the angle between tip faces as a result of dissolution along the [0 0 1] direction, though brookite nanorods were only slightly etched after etching with H2SO4 at room temperature. Photocatalytic activity of brookite nanorods was tested by toluene decomposition in gas phase under ultraviolet irradiation. Brookite nanorods etched with H2O2–NH3 solution showed higher photocatalytic activity than that of brookite nanorods before etching. In the case of H2SO4 etching at 200 °C, brookite nanorods after etching exhibited lower photocatalytic activity. One reason for this may be that the formation of newly exposed crystal faces by H2O2–NH3 etching improved separation of redox sites due to their strong oxidation ability.