Photocatalytic activity of metal doped TiO2 aerogels prepared by sol-gel process

Oxide semiconductor photocatalyst based on TiO2 is normally used in UV photodegradation of different organic pollutants. This paper is focused on preparation of 1at% Cu, 1at% Ce, 1at% Fe doped and undoped TiO2 aerogels and their application in photodegradation of an organic compound. The aerogels were obtained by sol-gel process in acid catalysis, followed by supercritical drying with liquid CO2. The preparation process involved a single precursor based on Ti(OPr)(4) and doping was made by using ethanolic solutions of metal nitrates. The obtained aerogels were analyzed by BET method, determining the specific surface area (S-BET). Photocatalytic behavior of the obtained aerogels was tested by the decomposition of salicylic acid, under UV light. The photocatalytic activity of doped aerogels was compared with the undoped one and with the reference Degussa P25 TiO2.