Efficient photoelectrocatalytic activity of TiO2/Ti anode fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)

Nanosized TiO2/Ti photoanodes fabricated by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) under different deposition temperatures were characterized and applied to the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of model pollutant of phenol. The anode prepared at 773 K was verified in anatase phase with a size about 60 nm and achieved the best photoelectrocatalytic activity, where IPCE could reach as high as 89% and the photoconversion efficiency peaked at 8.4%. The photoelectrocatalytic degradation of phenol was found well fit a pseudo-first-order kinetics, and kept stable performance in five continuous runs, confirming potential application of the electrode prepared by MOCVD for organic pollutants abatement. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.