Carbon-incorporated TiO2 microspheres: Facile flame assisted hydrolysis of tetrabutyl orthotitanate and photocatalytic hydrogen production

We report a novel and facile energy-saving method to prepare microspherical carbon-incorporated titania powders by flame assisted hydrolysis of tetrabutyl orthotitanate. The as-prepared samples were fully characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, UV-Vis absorption spectra and photocatalytic hydrogen production. Anatase TiO2 can be obtained directly without any post heat treatment. The as-prepared TiO2 is formed of microspheres with sizes in a range of 0.5∼2.0 μm. XPS measurement shows the presence of carbon species which come from the incomplete combustion of organic compounds. Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production rates were observed for the as-prepared samples. A maximum hydrogen production rate was 8.1 μmol h−1, which was 1.8 times larger than that of Degussa P25. The improved photocatalytic activity is attributed to enhanced light absorption behavior, which is caused by carbon incorporation and microspherical structure. This work demonstrates a novel and efficient strategy to synthesize microspherical anatase TiO2 photocatalyst without any special equipment or setup. ► A flame-assisted hydrolysis method to obtain microspherical TiO2 was reported for the first time. ► No special equipment or setup is required for the formation of anatase TiO2 microspheres. ► Higher photocatalytic activity was observed for the carbon incorporation photocatalysts. ► A possible mechanism was proposed for the formation of TiO2 microspheres.