Study on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye on titanate nanotube powders prepared by methanol-thermal process

Titanate nanotubes were synthesized by a solvothermal process at a low temperature in a highly alkaline water-methanol mixed solution. Powders were characterized by XRD, TEM, BET and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The as-prepared samples was tested by the adsorptive process and photodegradation reaction of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible-light irradiation. The results indicated that the titanate samples are synthesized in the methanol-water volume ratios of 10:90, 20:80 and 30:70 are still highly absorbability and all the titanate samples as-prepared have higher photocatalytic activities compared with TiO2 P25 in the degradation of MB under visible light irradiation.