Abstract
0.7 mol% Er-TiO2 nanotubes were prepared using a sol-gel derived electrospinning and subsequent calcination at intervals of 50 ℃ from 500 ℃ to 650 ℃ to investigate the effect of calcination temperature on the crystal structure and the photocatalytic activity of methylene blue (MB). X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated that Er-TiO2 nanotubes calcined at 500 ℃ were composed of anatase only. However, mixed phases of anatase (51%, 55%, 96%) and rutile (49%, 45%, 4%) were observed for the nanotubes calcined at 550 ℃, 600 ℃ and 650 ℃, respectively. As the calcination temperature rose from 500 ℃ to 600 ℃, the Barrette-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and degradation kinetic constant increased from 97.77 ㎡/g to 117.62 ㎡/g and from 1.2 × 10-2min-1 to 1.6 × 10-2 min-1, respectively. The Er-TiO2 nanotubes calcined at 600 ℃ exhibited enhanced MB degradation (87%) compared to that of Er-TiO2 nanofibers (37%) due to the synergic combinations of tailored mixed crystals and larger BET area.