High-frequency sonication for the synthesis of nanocluster-decorated titania nanorods: Making a better photocatalyst for the selective oxidation of monoaromatic alcohol

Abstract

The designing and synthesis of novel photocatalysts are the most important parts, with TiO2-based materials to be consider as prosperous candidates for the selective photo-oxidation of aromatic alcohol. Herein, we established an ultrasound-assisted (500 kHz) precipitation synthetic protocol which led to titanate nanorods of 30 nm maximum length, decorated with nanoclusters of size 1–3 nm. The physicochemical features of the synthesized catalysts were characterized by various techniques. The 1-D nanomaterial obtained at low ultrasound power revealed highest yield towards selective photo-oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde comparing to the material synthesized at higher ultrasound power, in silent, and the commercial TiO2-P25.

Keywords

• Precipitation synthesis
• Ultrasonication
• Selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol
• Heterogeneous photocatalysis
• TiO2 nanorods