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Advances in Nano Research Volume 1, Number 2, June 2013, pages 71-82 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12989/anr.2013.1.2.071 |
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A facile chemical synthesis of a novel photo catalyst: SWCNT/titania nanocomposite |
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Rima Paul, Pathik Kumbhakar and Apurba K. Mitra
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| Abstract | ||
| A simple chemical precipitation technique is reported for the synthesis of a hybrid nanostructure of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and titania (TiO2) nanocrystals of average size 5 nm, which may be useful as a prominent photocatalytic material with improved functionality. The synthesized hybrid structure has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. It is clearly revealed that nearly monodispersed titania nanocrystals (anatase phase) of average size 5 nm decorate the surfaces of SWCNT bundles. The UV-vis absorption study shows a blue shift of 16 nm in the absorbance peak position of the composite material compared to the unmodified SWCNTs. The photoluminescence study shows a violet-blue emission in the range of 325-500 nm with a peak emission at 400 nm. The low temperature electrical transport property of the synthesized nanomaterial has been studied between 77-300 K. The DC conductivity shows semiconductor-like characteristics with conductivity increasing sharply with temperature in the range of 175-300 K. Such nanocomposites may find wide applications as improved photocatalyst due to transfer of photo-ejected electrons from TiO2 to SWCNT, thus reducing recombination, with the SWCNT scaffold providing a firm and better positioning of the catalytic material. | ||
| Key Words | ||
| SWCNT; titania; photoluminescence; DC conductivity; photocatalytic material | ||
| Address | ||
| Rima Paul: Acharya Prafulla Chandra College, Kolkata- 700131, India Pathik Kumbhakar: Nanoscience Laboratory, Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur-713209, West Bengal, India Apurba K. Mitra:National Institute of Technology, Durgapur - 713209, India | ||