• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2011

In this study, anatase/brookite hybrid $TiO_2$ was prepared using different acid catalysts and microwave to improve photodegradation of organic pollutants. The methylene blue photodegradation properties of the prepared photocatalysts with different particle/crystal size and brookite fractions were investigated. Surface characteristics and particle sizes of anatase/brookite hybrid $TiO_2$ were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser diffraction particle size analyzer, respectively and crystal structures were investigated with X-ray diffraction (XRD). Methylene blue photodegradation properties were evaluated with UV-vis spectrophotometer. Anatase and anatase/brookite hybrid $TiO_2$ had less than 500 nm size of clusters and the average particle size of $6.66{\sim}6.85{\mu}m$, suggesting that types of acid catalysts did not affect the size. XRD of the prepared $TiO_2$ showed that the photocatalysts had anatase/brookite hybrid crystal structure and applying microwave did not change their crystal structure. Photodegradation of methylene blue with the prepared photocatalyst did not increased proportionally to the fraction of brookite and the crystal size and decreased when brookite fraction and the crystal size increased further. Anatase/brookite hybrid $TiO_2$ with brookite fraction of 9.4% and crystal size of 4.53 nm shows the best photodegradation activity of methylene blue.