Preparation of LDO@TiO2 core–shell nanosheets for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of organic pollution

Abstract

TiO₂-based nanosheet materials with a core–shell structure are expected to be one of the promising photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollution. It is a challenge to synthesize TiO₂ by the desired nucleation and growth process, so most reported TiO₂ core–shell photocatalysts are prepared using TiO₂ as a core material. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are considered ideal platforms to grow TiO₂in situ and further serve as additional components to improve the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. In this work, we report the design and fabrication of anatase TiO₂-coated ZnAl-layered double oxide (LDO@TiO₂) nanosheets, which involve the in situ growth of TiO₂ on ZnAl-LDH followed by subsequent calcination treatment. The resulting LDO@TiO₂ photocatalyst yields typical core–shell nanosheet morphology with a mesoporous structure, exhibiting excellent photodegradation and mineralization efficiency for organic pollution.