Crystallization of well-defined anatase nanoparticles in SBA-15 for the photocatalytic decomposition of acetic acid.

Anatase nanoparticles with a size of ca. 5 nm were prepared in mesoporous silica (SBA-15 with the pore diameter of 6 nm) by impregnation of the precursor derived from titanium tetraisopropoxide and subsequent heat treatment in air. The mesoporous structure of the anatase-silica hybrid and the size of the anatase particles were kept unchanged during the crystallization of anatase at 200-600 °C. The hybrids were applied as a photocatalyst for the decomposition of acetic acid in water under UV irradiation to find the heat treatment over 400 °C led to higher efficiency of the reaction (45-55 μmol h -1 of carbon-dioxide production) over the samples heated at temperatures lower than 300 °C (3-14 μmol h -1 of carbon-dioxide production).