Preparation of Mesoporous Titanium Oxide and Effect of Cupric Ion on Its Photocatalytic Oxidation Activity

Mesoporous titanium oxide(TiO_2)was prepared hydrothermally from tetra-n-butyl titanate using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide(CTMAB)as template agent.Samples of the mesoporous TiO_2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction,transmission electron microscopy and N_2-adsorption technique.It was found that the inesoporous TiO_2 has an average porosity of 4.4nm.By using methyl orange as a model compound,the effect of addition of Cu~(2+)ion on the photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO_2 was studied under UV-irradiation.As shown by experimental results,the photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO_2 was found to be comparable to that of the eommercially available P25 nanotitanium dioxide.The photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO_2 was enhanced by the addition of cupric ion.The photocatalytie degradation rate of methyl orange was found to be proportional directly with the intensity of UV-irradiation.