A simple laboratory experiment consisting of the preparation of
sol−gel-derived photocatalysts is described here. In this
experiment, students experienced group work and critically
read scientific papers, both of which are activities relevant to
their future work. They learned how to design an effective sol−
gel synthetic procedure for preparing titania photocatalysts,
involving the typical fabrication steps: sol preparation, gel
transition, and calcination. After analyzing the possible methods
for investigating the photocatalytic activity of these materials,
the students decided to follow the degradation of a dye in
solution using UV−vis spectroscopy, for which they designed
and constructed a simple test chamber. In consultation with
their supervisor, students coordinated their group work to
investigate the effect of yeast concentration in the reaction
mixture on the photocatalytic performance of the final
consolidated material.