Hydrothermal synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity of flower-like TiO ₂ on carbon nanotubes

Rutile-phase flower-like TiO ₂, which is made of TiO ₂ rods, with a size of ca. 1 μm have been directly grown on the surface of carbon nanotubes by the hydrothermal method. The nucleation and growth of the flower-like TiO ₂ are directed by the anatase-phase TiO ₂ nanocrystals seeded on the carbon nanotubes surface. The inner carbon nanotubes which are fully covered by the photocatalysts are found to not only enhance the light absorption and decrease the electron-hole recombination of the photocatalysts, but also prevent the light absorption contest with the out-layer TiO ₂. Remarkably, the as-prepared carbon nanotubes modified flower-like TiO ₂ exhibit a superior photocatalytic degradation capacity for organic dyes than pure TiO ₂.