Preparation of TiO 2 -based powders with high photocatalytic activities

TiO2-based powders doped with a small amount of SiO2 were prepared by a sol-gel method and subsequently were heated to precipitate fine anatase crystals. Although the obtained powders have large specific surface areas (≈200 m2 · g−1), they showed poorer activity in a photocatalytic property than the undoped TiO2 powders which have the area of 50 m2 · g−1. The SiO2-doped TiO2 powders were treated chemically with aqueous NaOH. Infrared reflection spectra showed that the treatment reduced the amount of SiO2 in the powders. The photocatalytic property of the powders was extremely improved by the treatment, and the powders showed higher activity than the undoped TiO2 powders.