Efficient NO Photodegradation of Hydrothermally Synthesized TiO2 Nanotubes under Visible Light

In this study, TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized via a hydrothermal process and characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) images, selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, and photoluminescence (PL) analysis. The NO removal photocatalytic activity of the hydrothermally synthesized TNTs was surveyed systematically. The hydrothermally synthesized TNTs have shown an efficient NO photodegradation which is approximately 4 times higher than that of P25 and an excellent photostability under visible light after 5 cycles. Furthermore, reactive radicals mainly involved in the photocatalytic reaction were identified by electron spin resonance (ESR) study, leading to a better understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism of the hydrothermally synthesized TNTs.