Carbon coating of anatase-type TiO2 through their precipitation in PVA aqueous solution

Fine particles of photocatalytic anatase-type TiO₂ prepared through hydrolysis of titanium-tetraisopropoxide were coated by carbon through their precipitation in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) aqueous solution, followed by heat treatment at high temperatures of 400-1000 °C in a flow of high purity Ar. Without carbon coating, the phase transformation from anatase to rutile started above 600 °C, but it was suppressed up to 800 °C with carbon coating. Suppression of the phase transformation depended on the amount of carbon coated, apparent suppression being observed with carbon content above 5 mass%. The amount of carbon coated on anatase was controlled by changing the concentration of PVA in the solution. In order to have a carbon content of about 5 mass%, a PVA solution with more than 2 mass% had to be used.