Hydrothermal synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity of flower-like TiO2 on carbon nanotubes

Rutile-phase flower-like TiO2, which is made of TiO2 rods, with a size of ca. 1 pm have been directly grown on the surface of carbon nanotubes by the hydrothermal method. The nucleation and growth of the flower-like TiO2 are directed by the anatase-phase TiO2 nanocrystals seeded on the carbon nanotubes surface. The inner carbon nanotubes which are fully covered by the photocatalysts are found to not only enhance the light absorption and decrease the electron-hole recombination of the photocatalysts, but also prevent the light absorption contest with the out-layer TiO2. Remarkably, the as-prepared carbon nanotubes modified flower-like TiO2 exhibit a superior photocatalytic degradation capacity for organic dyes than pure TiO2. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.