High photocatalytic activity of aerogel tetragonal and monoclinic ZrO2 samples

ZrO2 nanoparticles have been investigated in the photodegradation of formic acid under UV irradiation. photocatalysts were prepared using a ‘one-pot’ sol-gel method followed by drying supercritical conditions solvent and calcination at temperatures varying between 400 °C 800 °C. Samples characterized adsorption-desorption isotherms, XRD, Thermal analysis, Raman spectroscopy, HRTEM, DRS, PL XPS. The aerogel preparation allows creation intermediate band gap states making it active photoactivity samples follow order; ≥ > 700 500 600 agreement with their optical properties. lower value mid gap, higher photocatalytic activity. depends on nature phase (tetragonal or monoclinic), surface oxygen defects tendency to lattice distortion for treated high temperature. This study therefore shows first time that adequate oxide materials (here ZrO2) finely tuning intermediary sites through thermal post-treatments ZrO2, large material, able photocatalytically work