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One-step hydrothermal synthesis and characterisation of SnO2 nanoparticle-loaded TiO2 nanotubes with high photocatalytic performance under sunlight

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Abstract

The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs), as a result of heterojunction formation through the addition of SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) by a simple and straightforward one-step hydrothermal method, is shown. The structure and properties of the as-synthesised composite material are characterised using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The SnO2/TNT heterojunction with extremely small SnO2 NPs adhered on the TNT surface was successfully synthesised by a one-step hydrothermal synthesis. The mechanism and factors affecting the photocatalytic activity were verified and clarified. Furthermore, the sample with 2% SnO2 precursor content has the highest photocatalytic activity with a methylene blue degradation efficiency of 74.2% for 180 min under sunlight irradiation.

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Acknowledgements

This research is funded by Vietnam National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED) under Grant Number 103.02-2016.87.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanomaterials for Environmental Applications Laboratory, Faculty of Materials Science, University of Science, VNU–HCMC, 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam

    Pham Van Viet, Tran Hong Huy & Le Van Hieu

  2. Faculty of Electronics–Telecommunication, Saigon University, 273 An Duong Vuong Street, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam

    Nguyen Xuan Sang

  3. CM Thi Laboratory, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), 475A Dien Bien Phu Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam

    Cao Minh Thi

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  1. Pham Van Viet
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  2. Tran Hong Huy
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Correspondence to Pham Van Viet.

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Van Viet, P., Huy, T.H., Sang, N.X. et al. One-step hydrothermal synthesis and characterisation of SnO2 nanoparticle-loaded TiO2 nanotubes with high photocatalytic performance under sunlight. J Mater Sci 53, 3364–3374 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1762-6

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