Photocatalytic activity of glass ceramics containing Nasicon-type crystals

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Glass ceramics containing Nasicon-type crystals were prepared. ► The glass ceramics showed photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. ► Higher activity was observed in the MgTi4(PO4)6- and CaTi4(PO4)6-containing glass ceramics. -- Abstract: Glass ceramics were prepared by heat-treating MO–TiO2–P2O5 (M = Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) and R2O–TiO2–P2O5–SiO2 (R = Li, Na and K) glasses, and their photocatalytic activity was investigated. The crystalline phases precipitated in the glasses were only Nasicon-type crystals, MTi4(PO4)6 or RTi2(PO4)3. Decomposition experiments of both methylene blue (MB) and acetaldehyde showed that the glass ceramics exhibited effective photocatalytic activity. The activity did not depend on the radius of the M2+ or R+ ion, and higher activity was observed in the MgTi4(PO4)6 and CaTi4(PO4)6 precipitated glass ceramics.