Abstract

The designing and synthesis of novel photocatalysts are the most important parts, with TiO₂-based materials to be consider as prosperous candidates for the selective photo-oxidation of aromatic alcohol. Herein, we established an ultrasound-assisted (500 kHz) precipitation synthetic protocol which led to titanate nanorods of 30 nm maximum length, decorated with nanoclusters of size 1 – 3 nm. The physicochemical features of the synthesized catalysts were characterized by various techniques. The 1‑D nanomaterial obtained at low ultrasound power revealed highest yield towards selective photo-oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde comparing to the material synthesized at higher ultrasound power, in silent, and the commercial TiO₂-P25.