Nanocomposite film of TiO2 nanotube and polyoxometalate towards photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene

The composite film based on polyommetalates (POMs)-modified TiO2 nanotubes was prepared by electrodeposition method for the photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene. The composite film was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which indicated that the POMs were well introduced into the TiO2 nanotubes. Furthermore, the photocatalytic properties of the TiO2 nanotubes and POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes were evaluated by the decomposition of nitrobenzene. POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes showed much higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 nanotubes. These results provide a promising route to effectively photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene by POMs-modified TiO2 nanotubes. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.