Multilayered TiO2@SnO2 hollow nanostructures: facile synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic performance

Abstract

Multilayered TiO₂@SnO₂ hollow nanostructures have been successfully synthesized via a simple approach employing the template-assisted and hydrothermal methods. The results showed that the molar ratio of Ti(SO₄)₂ to SnSO₄ played important roles in the composition and morphology of the nanostructures. The as-prepared TiO₂@SnO₂ hollow nanostructures exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity when used as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic dyes. The mesoporous structure could facilitate the diffusion of dye molecules. In addition, the multilayered hollow nanostructure allows multiple reflections of incident light, making efficient utilization of light energy. Moreover, the coupling TiO₂ with SnO₂ could also effectively improve the charge separation efficiency.