Synthesis, characterization and photodegradation study of mixed-phase titania hollow submicrospheres with rough surface

Titania hollow submicrospheres with mixed phase (anatase–brookite or anatase–rutile) were synthesized via the combination of hydrothermal treatment and calcination of submicrospheres consisting of a polystyrene core and an amorphous TiO2 shell. After hydrothermal treatment, amorphous titania shell could be transformed to anatase–brookite shell consisting of loose packed titania nanocrystals, which could be further converted to anatase–brookite (below 700 °C) or anatase–rutile titania (700–800 °C) hollow spheres with rough surface via calcination. The loose packing of titania nanocrystals not only inhibited the transformation temperature from anatase to rutile, but also provided titania hollow submicrospheres with high photodegradation activity of Rhodamine B. The photocatalytic activity of titania hollow spheres increased firstly then decreased when the calcination temperature was varied in the range of 450–800 °C, while hollow spheres obtained via calcinating at 700 °C exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, which was five times higher than that of counterpart without hydrothermal treatment.