TiO₂/carbon paper composite materials with hierarchically porous structure for photocatalysis

TiO₂/carbon paper composite materials with a hierarchically porous structure were synthesized by employing a filter paper as the support material and carbon source. The resorcinol-formaldehyde-block copolymer nanocomposite formed by the self-assembly of phenolic resin and F127 under acidic condition was selected as modifier of the microstructure of carbon paper. Results show that the as-adjusted carbon paper preserved the nanostructure of a pure carbonized filter paper. An ordered mesostructure was also formed. This micromorphology resulted in the increased specific surface area, as well as micropore and mesopore volumes, compared with the pure carbonized filter paper. When mesoporous TiO₂ was deposited on the carbon paper with ordered mesopore by the evaporation-induced self-assembly route, the TiO ₂/carbon paper composite materials displayed excellent adsorption property and enhanced photocatalytic activity of methylene blue.