Photoelectrochemical characterization and photocatalytic properties of mesoporous TiO2/ZrO2 films

Optically transparent, crack-free mesoporous titania and zirconia-doped titania thin film photocatalysts were fabricated by sol-gel technique, using nonionic amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123 as template. The structural and optical properties of these films were characterized using SEM, low-angle XRD, and UV/Vis spectroscopy, hexane adsorption investigation. Band gap energy and the position of flatband potentials were estimated by photoelectrochemical measurements. Enhancing of photocatalytic activity of zirconia-doped films relative to pure TiO2 originates from an anodic shift of the valence band edge potential. Catalytic activity of mesoporous TiO2 and TiO2/ZrO2 (5–50% of ZrO2) films in the processes of CrVI to CrIII photoreduction and 2,4-dinitroaniline photooxidation correlates with crystalline size and growth with increasing of specific surface area of the samples.