Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation on prepared carbonaceous Ti[O.sub.2]

• Published in: TheScientificWorld 2014-01, Vol.14
• Main Authors: Ramli, Zatil Amali Che, Asim, Nilofar, Isahak, Wan N.R.W, Emdadi, Zeynab, Ahmad-Ludin, Norasikin, Yarmo, M. Ambar, Sopian, K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical properties; Decomposition (Chemistry); Identification and classification; Methylene blue; Optical properties; Photocatalysis; Titanium dioxide; Ultraviolet radiation
• ISSN: 1537-744X; 1537-744X
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/415136

This study involves the investigation of altering the photocatalytic activity of Ti[O.sub.2] using composite materials. Three different forms of modified Ti[O.sub.2], namely Ti[O.sub.2]/activated carbon (AC), Ti[O.sub.2]/carbon (C), and Ti[O.sub.2]/PANi, were compared. The Ti[O.sub.2]/carbon composite was obtained by pyrolysis of Ti[O.sub.2]/PANi prepared by in situ polymerization method, while the Ti[O.sub.2]/activated carbon (Ti[O.sub.2]/AC) was obtained after treating Ti[O.sub.2]/carbon with 1.0 M KOH solution, followed by calcination at a temperature of 450°C. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize and evaluate the prepared samples. The specific surface area was determined to be in the following order: Ti[O.sub.2]/AC > Ti[O.sub.2]/C > Ti[O.sub.2]/PANi > Ti[O.sub.2] (179 > 134 > 54 > 9 [m.sup.2] [g.sup.-1]). The evaluation of photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation was also of the same order, with 98 > 84.7 > 69% conversion rate, which is likely to be attributed to the porosity and synergistic effect in the prepared samples.