Growth of titania on titanium plate via hydrothermal method for the application in water splitting

Abstract

To study the condition to prepare titania thin film on titanium plate via the hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic properties were also studied by methylene blue degradation under UV radiation in a micro reactor. Then the titanium thin film with the highest photocatalytic activity was used as the photoanode for the photoelectrochemical water splitting reaction. It was found that titania could be grown from titanium plate via the hydrothermal process. Majority of the product formed was nanofibers. Size, morphology and crystallinity of the fibers as well as the thickness of the growth layer depended upon temperature, duration of the hydrothermal treatment and calcination temperature. Titanium thin film obtained from the hydrothermal treatment at 180℃ for 3h and calcined at 600℃ exhibited the highest degradation percentage. It was also proved that the titanium thin film synthesized under this condition could be used in the separated evolution of hydrogen from water using an H-type glass container under UV light irradiation