Mechanochemical structural nanoengineering of heterooxide photocatalysts TiO2/ V2O5 capable to accumulating photoinduced charges

The mechanochemical method yielding a composite photocatalyst TiO2/V2O5 of tubular morphology under localized mechanic impact on a mixture of dispersed oxides has been proposed. It has been shown that under contact loading amounting to 25–39 MPa, tubular TiO2 is growing due to bonding of hydrated oxide particles via polycondensation. In the case of a mixture of titania and vanadium oxides, the tubular structure growth is accompanied with dispersing V2O5 particles resulting in the release of free standing lamellae. The mechanochemical activation produces nanоheterojunctions TiO2/V2O5 able to ensure an effective separation of photo-induced charges and their accumulation in redox active V2O5. Employing mechanochemical activation for synthesis of a TiO2/V2O5 composite photocatalyst results in 2.5-fold enhancement of the oxidation activity induced by preliminary photocatalyst exposure.