Synthesis, Characterization And Activity Of Titanium Dioxide Based- (Ca, Ce, W)-Tio2 Photocatalysts For Degradation Of Dye And Pesticide
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Date
2011-08
Authors
Uduak George, Akpan,
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Global industrialization is not without its attendant challenges. The release of
unwanted by-products and pollutants which are carcinogenic and toxic into the
environment by textiles, chemicals and processing industries is directly proportional
to industrial growth. The environment must be kept safe. Therefore, photocatalysis
leading to complete mineralization of pollutant(s) was adopted to treat wastewaters
containing dyes (acid red 1, reactive orange 16, reactive blue 19, direct blue 71 and
acid blue 25) and a pesticide (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; 2,4-D). A composite
photocatalyst, electronically stable of the type Ti(1-x-y)Ca(3x-y)Ce(2x-y)W(y/6)O2(1-2(y-x))
(at y<2x and x+y<1) with an enhanced photocatalytic activity was developed by
doping TiO2 with Ca, Ce and W. The photocatalyst was prepared by sol-gel method,
hydrothermally treated and employed in the degradation of the above mentioned
pollutants. The effectiveness of the composite photocatalyst was verified by
comparing its activity under the same experimental conditions with two commercial
photocatalysts; Degussa P25 and TiO2-Sigma product CAS No. 1317-70-0. The
developed photocatalyst was better than TiO2-Sigma product in solar photocatalytic
degradation of AR1. The reusability test of the developed photocatalyst makes it
superior to Degussa P25 (which could not settle out of solution seven months after
photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-D), hence rendering it non-reusable. On the other
hand, the composite photocatalyst settled out of solution in less than 1 h after
irradiation and proved to be as efficient at the fourth cycle as in the first, as it
accomplished a complete degradation at the same irradiation time.
Description
Keywords
Titanium Dioxide , (Ca, Ce, W)-Tio2 Photocatalysts