Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2

Introduction. Currently, the development of photocatalytically active cement-based materials with self-cleaning properties is a promising area of building materials science. Self-cleaning concrete is obtained by using photocatalytic additives, of which titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) is the most co...

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Main Authors: Artemy S. Balykov, Denis B. Chugunov, Vladimir M. Kyashkin, Natalia S. Davydova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: OOO "CNT «NanoStroitelstvo» 2025-06-01
Series:Нанотехнологии в строительстве
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Online Access:https://nanobuild.ru/en_EN/journal/Nanobuild-3-2025/307-324.pdf
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author Artemy S. Balykov
Denis B. Chugunov
Vladimir M. Kyashkin
Natalia S. Davydova
author_facet Artemy S. Balykov
Denis B. Chugunov
Vladimir M. Kyashkin
Natalia S. Davydova
author_sort Artemy S. Balykov
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. Currently, the development of photocatalytically active cement-based materials with self-cleaning properties is a promising area of building materials science. Self-cleaning concrete is obtained by using photocatalytic additives, of which titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) is the most common. It has been found that the functional properties of TiO2 depend largely on its phase composition. This study aimed to establish the patterns of influence of phase composition on the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide under the impact of artificial ultraviolet and natural solar radiation and to identify the most effective titanium oxide-based photocatalysts for subsequent use in the composition of self-cleaning concrete. Methods and materials. Four titanium dioxide samples, namely two industrial samples and two samples synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium alkoxide in acidified water-alcoholic medium followed by calcination at 500 °C, were the objects of the study. X-ray powder diffractometry was the method used to investigate the structure parameters of TiO2 samples. The model reaction of oxidative degradation of methylene blue under UV- and daylight exposure was the means for studying the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide samples. Results and discussion. It was found that polymorphic modifications of titanium dioxide had a multidirectional effect on its functional characteristics, in particular, a rise in the content of anatase and rutile led to an increase and decrease in the photoactivity of TiO2 samples, respectively. The single-phase sample with anatase structure was most effective under UV irradiation, while the three-phase sample with the anatase : brookite : rutile ratio of 67% : 13% : 20% had the highest activity under daylight exposure. The photocatalyst composition, including several polymorphs of TiO2 with a predominance of anatase form (more than 50%), allowed to achieve a synergistic effect of increasing the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide under conditions of solar radiation due to the formation of type-II semi conductor heterojunctions. Heterostructures made it possible to improve the spatial separation of charge carriers and to reduce the recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Conclusion. The obtained results indicated the possibility of improving the functional characteristics of titanium oxide-based additives for self-cleaning concrete due to the targeted regulation of their phase composition by optimizing the synthesis parameters of photocatalytic modifiers.
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher OOO "CNT «NanoStroitelstvo»
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series Нанотехнологии в строительстве
spelling doaj-art-8a9eb87fe5f5475e9f2ef0f4e1ba3bc02025-08-20T03:33:50ZengOOO "CNT «NanoStroitelstvo»Нанотехнологии в строительстве2075-85452025-06-0117330732410.15828/2075-8545-2025-17-3-307-324Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2Artemy S. Balykov0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9087-1608Denis B. Chugunov1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1612-0539Vladimir M. Kyashkin2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3413-247XNatalia S. Davydova3https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9409-682XNational Research Mordovia State University, Saransk, RussiaNational Research Mordovia State University, Saransk, RussiaNational Research Mordovia State University, Saransk, RussiaNational Research Mordovia State University, Saransk, Russia Introduction. Currently, the development of photocatalytically active cement-based materials with self-cleaning properties is a promising area of building materials science. Self-cleaning concrete is obtained by using photocatalytic additives, of which titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) is the most common. It has been found that the functional properties of TiO2 depend largely on its phase composition. This study aimed to establish the patterns of influence of phase composition on the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide under the impact of artificial ultraviolet and natural solar radiation and to identify the most effective titanium oxide-based photocatalysts for subsequent use in the composition of self-cleaning concrete. Methods and materials. Four titanium dioxide samples, namely two industrial samples and two samples synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium alkoxide in acidified water-alcoholic medium followed by calcination at 500 °C, were the objects of the study. X-ray powder diffractometry was the method used to investigate the structure parameters of TiO2 samples. The model reaction of oxidative degradation of methylene blue under UV- and daylight exposure was the means for studying the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide samples. Results and discussion. It was found that polymorphic modifications of titanium dioxide had a multidirectional effect on its functional characteristics, in particular, a rise in the content of anatase and rutile led to an increase and decrease in the photoactivity of TiO2 samples, respectively. The single-phase sample with anatase structure was most effective under UV irradiation, while the three-phase sample with the anatase : brookite : rutile ratio of 67% : 13% : 20% had the highest activity under daylight exposure. The photocatalyst composition, including several polymorphs of TiO2 with a predominance of anatase form (more than 50%), allowed to achieve a synergistic effect of increasing the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide under conditions of solar radiation due to the formation of type-II semi conductor heterojunctions. Heterostructures made it possible to improve the spatial separation of charge carriers and to reduce the recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Conclusion. The obtained results indicated the possibility of improving the functional characteristics of titanium oxide-based additives for self-cleaning concrete due to the targeted regulation of their phase composition by optimizing the synthesis parameters of photocatalytic modifiers.https://nanobuild.ru/en_EN/journal/Nanobuild-3-2025/307-324.pdfself-cleaning concretephotocatalysttitanium dioxidesol-gel methodphotocatalytic activityphase compositioncrystallite sizenanostructuresheterojunctionpolymorphismanatasebrookiterutilex-ray diffraction
spellingShingle Artemy S. Balykov
Denis B. Chugunov
Vladimir M. Kyashkin
Natalia S. Davydova
Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
Нанотехнологии в строительстве
self-cleaning concrete
photocatalyst
titanium dioxide
sol-gel method
photocatalytic activity
phase composition
crystallite size
nanostructures
heterojunction
polymorphism
anatase
brookite
rutile
x-ray diffraction
title Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
title_full Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
title_fullStr Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
title_full_unstemmed Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
title_short Nanostructured titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for self-cleaning concrete: аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of TiO2
title_sort nanostructured titanium dioxide based photocatalysts for self cleaning concrete аssessment of effects of phase composition on photocatalytic activity of tio2
topic self-cleaning concrete
photocatalyst
titanium dioxide
sol-gel method
photocatalytic activity
phase composition
crystallite size
nanostructures
heterojunction
polymorphism
anatase
brookite
rutile
x-ray diffraction
url https://nanobuild.ru/en_EN/journal/Nanobuild-3-2025/307-324.pdf
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AT denisbchugunov nanostructuredtitaniumdioxidebasedphotocatalystsforselfcleaningconcreteassessmentofeffectsofphasecompositiononphotocatalyticactivityoftio2
AT vladimirmkyashkin nanostructuredtitaniumdioxidebasedphotocatalystsforselfcleaningconcreteassessmentofeffectsofphasecompositiononphotocatalyticactivityoftio2
AT nataliasdavydova nanostructuredtitaniumdioxidebasedphotocatalystsforselfcleaningconcreteassessmentofeffectsofphasecompositiononphotocatalyticactivityoftio2