Preparation and photocatalytic activity analysis of nanometer TiO2 modified by surfactant

Combining the advantages of the sol–gel method and solvothermal method, the single anatase phase of nano-titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) with high crystallinity had been prepared by means of the sol–solvent thermal improved process, in which butyl titanate was used as titanium source; anhydrous ethanol as solvent; concentrated nitric acid as inhibitor; and cationic surfactant cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), and nonionic surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG) as dispersants. The analysis results of Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy characterizations indicated that CTAB-modified TiO 2 with the optimum ratio had the most apparent dispersibility and the highest specific surface area compared with unmodified TiO 2 , SDBS-modified TiO 2 , and PEG-modified TiO 2 . At the same time, the photocatalytic degradation rate of methyl orange could be improved to 99.16%. It indicated that the modification effect of CTAB was significantly better than those of SDBS and PEG, which made the nanoparticles uniformly dispersed, resulting in higher photocatalytic activity.