Effects of Calcination Temperature on the Phase Composition, Photocatalytic Degradation, and Virucidal Activities of TiO2 Nanoparticles

Abstract

The application of TiO2 nanoparticles in the photocatalytic treatment of chemically or biologically contaminated water is an attractive, albeit unoptimized, method for environmental remediation. Here, TiO2 nanoparticles with mixed brookite/rutile phases were synthesized and calcined at 300-1100 degrees C to investigate trends in photocatalytic performance. The crystallinity, crystallite size, and particle size of the calcined materials increased with calcination temperature, while the specific surface area declined significantly. The TiO2 phase composition varied: at 300 degrees C, mixed brookite/rutile phases were observed, whereas a brookite-to-anatase phase transformation occurred above 500 degrees C, reaching complete conversion at 700 degrees C. Above 700 degrees C, the anatase-to-rutile phase transformation began, with pure rutile attained at 1100 degrees C. The optical band gaps of the calcined TiO2 nanoparticles decreased with rising calcination temperature. The mixed anatase/rutile phase TiO2 nanoparticles calcined at 700 degrees C performed best in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue owing to the synergistic effect of the crystallinity and phase structure. The photocatalytic virus inactivation test demonstrated excellent performance against the MS2 bacteriophage, murine norovirus, and influenza virus. Therefore, the mixed anatase/rutile phase TiO2 nanoparticles calcined at 700 degrees C may be considered as potential candidates for environmental applications, such as water purification and virus inactivation.