Ionic Liquid-Assisted Synthesis of Anatase Nanostructured TiO2 Aerogel Doped with Fe3+ by a Low Temperature Sol-Gel Process and its Photocatalytic Performance

Anatase crystalline TiO2 aeroge and TiO2 aerogel doped with Fe3+ were prepared at low temperature (60°C) using ionic liquid (IL) assisted sol-gel method. In this system, ionic liquid was not only an effective solvent but also an important template, which enhanced the polycondensation and crystallization rate, facilitated the formation of anatase crystal. Due to the effect of template, anatase crystalline TiO2 aerogel can be synthesized at the aging temperature of 60°C and drying under ambient pressure. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopes (SEM). The photocatalytic performance of pure TiO2 aerogel and TiO2 aerogel doped with Fe3+ aerogel was evalutaed by decolorization of reactive brilliant blue under visible light irridation. The results indicated that TiO2 aerogel doped with Fe3+ exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 aerogel and Degussa P25.