Abstract
Ion-exchangable trititanate nanotubes synthesized by the alkali treatment of TiO2 (anatase) are modified by MS (M = Cd, Zn) nanoparticles via a simple wet chemical process. The obtained samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the samples are evaluated upon the oxidation of methyl orange under UV light illumination. Results show that the photoactivation may be caused by the strong coupling between the nanotube and the nanoparticles, which is a direct consequence of the ion exchange property of the trititanate wall structure during the formation of TiO2/MS.