Electrocatalytic performance of Pt-TiO2/C complex catalysts for oxidation of methanol

It is reported for the first time that the Pt-TiO2/C catalyst prepared with chemical reduction and sol-gel method showed the excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability for the electrooxidation of methanol. When the atom ratio of Ti to Pt in the catalysts is 1/2, the catalysts showed the best electrocatalytic properties. After the catalyst is treated at 500 degreesC, the performance is further improved. It is hopeful to use the catalyst in the pratical DMFC.

Performance of Pt-TiO2 electrocatalyst for CO oxidation in the electrochemical gas sensor

It is reported for the first time that the Pt/TiO2 electrocatalyst was successfully used for the electrocatalytic oxidation of CO in the electrochemical gas sensor with a controlled potential mode. The stability of electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-TiO2 electrocatalyst for the CO oxidation is better than that of Pt.

Preparation and characteristics of polyimide-TiO2 nanocomposite film

A sol-gel approach has been developed to prepare polyimide-TiO2, hybrid films fi om soluble polyimides and a modified titanium precursor. The rate of the hydrolysis reaction of titanium alkoxide can be controlled by using acetic acid as a modifier. FTIR and XPS indicated that TiO2, particles were well distributed in polyimide matrixes with particle size small per than 60 nm. Polyimide hybrid films having the TiO2, component less than or equal to 10% exhibited high thermal stability, high optical transparency and good mechanical properties and possessed higher dielectric constants than correspondingly polyimides. (C) 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect on the property of the photoinduced carrier transport of CdS as sensitizer for TiO2 nanoparticulate thin films

The TiO2 nanoparticle thin films have been sensitized in situ with CdS nanoparticles. The SPS measurement showed that large surface state density was present on the TiO2 nanoparticles and the surface state can be efficiently decreased by sensitization as well as selecting suitable heat treatment, Both the photocurrent response and the charge recombination kinetics in TiO2 thin films were strongly influenced by trapping/detrapping of surface states. The slow photocurrent response of TiO2 nanoparticulate thin films upon the illumination was attributed to the trap saturation effects, The semiconductor sensitization made the slow photoresponse disappeared and the steady-state photocurrent value increased drastically, which suggested that the sensitization of TiO2 thin films with CdS could get a better charge separation and provide a simple alternative to minimize the effect of surface state on the photocurrent response.

A novel method for preparing ordered SnO2/TiO2 alternate nanoparticulate films

A novel method using LB films as precursors to prepare pure inorganic ordered film with periodic structure was developed. Surfactant-stabilized SnO2 nanoparticulate organosols and TiO2 nanoparticulate organosols were prepared and used as spreading solutions. Using LB technique, the good film-forming ability of the surfactant-stabilized SnO2 nanoparticles and TiO2 nanoparticles was confirmed by the determination of the pi -A isotherms. The surfactant-stabilized SnO2 and TiO2 nanoparticulate monolayers were fabricated on the water surface and then were transferred to solid substrates (CaF2, quartz, silicon, and so on) alternately, layer-by-layer. Then the as-deposited alternate LB film was treated at different temperatures. The as-deposited alternate LB film and the treated film were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that our method was successful. The as-deposited alternate LB film formed a periodic structure with a long spacing of 6.5 nm that was composed of SnO2 nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, and arachidic acid. The treated film composed of SnO2 nanoparticles and TiO2 nanoparticles formed a pure inorganic periodic structure with an ordered distance of 5.4 nm. (C) 2001 Academic Press.

Photosensitization of TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film electrodes by CdS nanoparticles

Surface photovoltage spectra (SPS) measurements of TiO2 show that a large surface state density is present on the TiO2 nanoparticles and these surface states can be efficiently decreased by sensitization using US nanoparticles as well as by suitable heat treatment. The photoelectrochemical behavior of the bare TiO2 thin film indicates that the mechanism of photoelectron transport is controlled by the trapping/detrapping properties of surface states within the thin films, The slow photocurrent response upon the illumination can be explained by the trap saturation effect. For a TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film sensitized using US nanoparticles, the slow photocurrent response disappears and the steady-state photocurrent increases drastically, which suggests that photosensitization can decrease the effect of surface states on photocurrent response.

Formation of ordered arrays of gold nanoparticles from CTAB reverse micelles

In this presentation, a reverse micelle technique was described to create colloid gold nanoparticles and their self-organization into superlattices. Gold nanoparticles were prepared by the reduction of HAuCL4 in CTAB/octane + 1-butanol/H2O reverse micelle system using NaBH4 as reducing agent. Dodecanethiol (C12H25SH) was used to passivate the gold nanoparticles immediately after formation of the gold colloid. After re-dispersing in toluene under ultrasonication, a supernatant containing nearly monodispersed dodecanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles was obtained. Self-organization of the gold nanoparticles into 1D, 2D and 3D superlattices was observed on the carbon-coated copper grid by TEM. UV-vis absorption spectra were also used to characterize the gold colloids with and without dodecanethiol capping. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface photovoltage spectra and photoelectrochemical properties of semiconductor-sensitized nanostructured TiO2 electrodes

Three kinds of TiO2 nanostructured thin films and their CdS-sensitized films, consisting of different sizes of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared with different methods, have been investigated. The surface photovoltage spectra (SPS) measurements indicate that the density of surface states on TiO2 is likely dependent upon the details of prepared methods. TiO2 particles prepared from basic sol have more surface states than that prepared from acidic sol. When the TiO2 thin films prepared using the TiO2 sols were sensitized by CdS particles, the SPS responses relative to the surface states on TiO2 from 350 to 800 nm were decreased. The photoelectrochemical properties of nanostructured TiO2 electrodes suggest that the fewer the surface states and the smaller the particle sizes of TiO2, the larger the photocurrent response. For CdS sensitized TiO2 thin film electrode, it is shown that the semiconductor sensitization is an efficient way to decrease the influence of surface states on the charge separation, and can improve the intensity of photocurrent response. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and spectra study of TiO2 gel doped with fluorescein

TiO2 gel doped with fluorescein was prepared by a sol-gel method, and the fluorescence of fluorescein and its effect on formation of the: gel were investigated with absorption, fluorescence, IR spectroscopies and TG-DTA analysis. The results indicated that FL incorporated into TiO2 gel had exhibited big changes compared to that in ethanol solution both in the absorption and the emission spectra, and the formation of TiO2 gel was influenced greatly by FL.

Effect of surface state properties of TiO2 nanoparticle film on its photocatalytic activity

TiO2 nanoparticle film catalysts with different thicknesses were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition(PECVD) method and the surfaces were subsequently treated by TiCl4 or O-2 plasma. Two kinds of TiO2 films with different surface properties were obtained. Their surface microstructures and energy levels of surface states were tested by AFM, XRD, SPS, The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts were determined via photodegradation experiments of phenol. The results demonstrated that photocatalytic activities of samples whose surface was treated by O-2 plasma were greater than those treated by TiCl4 plasma. Moreover, photodegradation ratio of phenol during the first hour catalyzed by 0. 17 mu m thickness TiO2 nanoparticle film was greater than other samples. Especially, the difference of photocatalytic activities of TiO2 nanoparticle films treated by TiCl4 or O-2 plasma was respectively explained by energy band theory.

Structural changes of TiO2 gel using Eu3+ ion as the fluorescence probe

Because of the extremely sensitivity to the local environment of the D-5(0) --> F-7(2) transition of Eu3+ ion, the fluorescence of Eu3+ ions was Studied by introducing Eu3+ ions to TiO2 gel by the sol-gel method, from which the structural changes of TiO2 gel were characterized. The results showed that the intensity of D-5(0) --> F-7(2) transition increased with the increasement of heat treatment temperature, which indicated the evaporation of molecular water and the completeness of the condensation reaction. Because of the quenching of the fluorescence induced by the cluster of Eu3+ ions, the addition of Al3+ ions greatly enhanced the emission intensity of Eu3+ ion.

Fabrication and fluorescence study of sensitizing dye TiO2 films

Fluorescence spectra of the sensitizing dye/TiO2 bilayer films were studied. Charge-transfer complexes were formed in the above bilayer.

Preparation of TiO2 Film through Hydrolysis of Titanium Butoxide and Interaction between Sensitizing Dyes and the Film

A method of preparation of stable, homogeneous and controlled thickness TiO2 film through hydrolysis of Ti(OC4H(9))(4) is introduced in detail. The structure and property of the film have been investigated by means of SEM and FT-IR techniques. The strong quenching effect between sensitizing dyes and TiO2 film is observed in their fluorescence spectra.