Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic performance of TiO2/CexZr1−xO2 toward the oxidation of gaseous benzene

Abstract Increasing environmental pollution caused by the volatile organic compounds due to their toxicity makes their removal imperative. So it is crucial to develop processes which can degrade these compounds effectively. The paper demonstrates that the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 toward the decomposition of gaseous benzene in a batch reactor can be greatly enhanced by loading TiO 2 onto the surface of Ce x Zr 1− x O 2 ( x  ≥ 0.25) using sol–gel technology. This research investigated the relationship between x amount and the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 . The prepared photocatalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, UV–vis diffuse reflectance and XPS analyses. The specific surface area of photocatalyst decreases as x decreases. XRD results reveal the no peaks of titania were detected. Among the five catalysts prepared, only the binding energy values of Ti2p 3/2 of TiO 2 /Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 shift toward lower value. The order of photocatalytic activity is TiO 2 /Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2  > TiO 2 /Ce 0.75 Zr 0.25 O 2  > TiO 2 /CeO 2  ≈ TiO 2 /Ce 0.25 Zr 0.75 O 2  > TiO 2 /ZrO 2  ≈ TiO 2 . The mechanism role of Ceria–Zirconia mixed oxides in photocatalytic reaction was speculated.