Photocatalytic properties of TiO2–P2O5 glass ceramics

Highlights: ► Glass ceramics were prepared in the binary system P2O5–TiO2. ► Main crystalline phases were anatase-type TiO2 crystals or (TiO)2P2O7 crystals. ► The glass ceramics containing the anatase crystals showed photocatalytic activity. -- Abstract: Binary TiO2–P2O5 glasses with 69 mol% and 76 mol% TiO2 were prepared and converted into glass ceramics by heat-treatments. XRD measurements show that the main crystalline phases precipitated in the glass ceramics are anatase-type TiO2 crystals or (TiO)2P2O7 crystals, depending on the concentration of titanium constituent. Photocatalytic activities of the glass ceramics were evaluated by the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) and measuring the water contact angle. It is found that the glass ceramics containing anatase crystals exhibit both photocatalytic oxidation activity and highly photo-induced hydrophilicity under UV irradiation with intensity of 1.0 mW/cm2.