Titania nanotubes (TNTs) prepared through the complex compound of gallic acid with titanium; examining photocatalytic degradation of the obtained TNTs

It was for the first time that the complex compound of gallic acid with titanium (IV) salt was used as a precursor to synthesize titania nanotubes. The study was separated into four main sections; (I) synthesizing the complex of titanium with gallic acid, (II) synthesizing anatase and rutile phases through thermal decomposing of the complex, (III) investigating the possibility to synthesize titania nanotubes from the rutile and anatase phases, and (IV) photocatalytic ability of all the nanoparticles. Different methods were applied to analysis, including X-ray diffraction, 1H NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, quantum-chemical modeling, Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, photoluminescence, BET analysis (to investigate the specific surface activity, total pore volume), EDX, electron microscopy (SEM), acceleration voltages, electrical conductivity, BJH method (to determine average pore diameter), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. We illustrated the possibility of the synthesis of the titania nanotubes from the anatase phase, while rutile phase was not turned to a tube shape. The photocatalytic ability of the obtained nanoparticles was tested by degrading bromophenol blue, as an organic pollutant, under weak light. TiO2 in the form of nanotubes could reduce the concentration of bromophenol blue to 82%, as well as the rutile phase - to 70%, and finally anatase as nan-spheres to 36%. © 2020