A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants

A sol–gel synthesis technique was employed for the preparation of anatase phase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au hybrid nanocomposites (NCs). The scalable, schematic, and cost-efficient method was successfully modified using HF and NH<sub>4</sub>OH capping agents. The photocatalytic...

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書誌詳細
出版年:Gels
主要な著者: Abubakar Katsina Usman, Diana-Luciana Cursaru, Gheorghe Brănoiu, Raluca Şomoghi, Ana-Maria Manta, Dănuţa Matei, Sonia Mihai
フォーマット: 論文
言語:英語
出版事項: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
主題:
オンライン・アクセス:https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/728
その他の書誌記述
要約:A sol–gel synthesis technique was employed for the preparation of anatase phase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au hybrid nanocomposites (NCs). The scalable, schematic, and cost-efficient method was successfully modified using HF and NH<sub>4</sub>OH capping agents. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs were tested over 2-cycle degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) of ibuprofen and naproxen under direct sunlight illumination at 35 °C and 44,000 lx. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), fast Fourier transform (FFT), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) were employed for the characterization of the as-prepared sample. The characterization results from the TEM, XPS, and XRD studies established both the distribution of Au colloids on the surface of TiO<sub>2</sub> material, and the presence of the highly crystalline structure of anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs. Photodegradation results from the visible light irradiation of MB indicate an enhanced photocatalytic performance of Au/TiO<sub>2</sub> NCs over TiO<sub>2</sub>. The results from the photocatalytic activity test performed under direct sunlight exposure exhibited promising photodegradation efficiencies. In the first cycle, the sol–gel synthesized material exhibited relatively better efficiencies (91%) with the MB dye and ibuprofen, while the highest degradation efficiency for the second cycle was 79% for the MB dye. Pseudo first-order photodegradation rates from the first cycle were determined to be comparatively slower than those from the second degradation cycle.
ISSN:2310-2861