Combining the template method and sol-gel method, the reticular TiO₂ photocatalytic materials were prepared by using the pinnate vein leaves of Sophora japonica L. as the template. The surface morphology, components and crystal characterization of the samples obtained under different conditions were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (EDX) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). By the methyl orange (MO) degradation as a model reaction, the effect of the macroscopic morphology on the photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ was investigated. The results indicated the prepared TiO₂ was reticular and its diameter was 5～10 μm, and even there were a few regular spherical TiO₂ with diameter 2～3 μm and microtubule TiO₂ with diameter 5 μm. For pH＝3, the MO degradation rate by the reticular TiO₂ in 3 h was higher by 37.2%, 44.6% than that of TiO₂ powder and commercial TiO₂ powder, respectively. And the degradation rate could keep more than 90% when it was repeatedly used for 4 times. And this paper introduced a new idea to prepare various morphological TiO₂.

Key words: reticular titanium dioxide, leaf, venation, photocatalysis, template method