Photocatalytic activity of TiO2/SiO2 systems

TiO2/Loofah-Halloysite Bio-Hybrid Composites as Efficient Systems for VOCs Removal

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), recognized as hazardous air contaminants, prompt the exploration of sustainable air purification methods. Solar photocatalytic oxidation emerges as a promising solution, utilizing semiconductor photocatalysts like titanium dioxide (TiO2). However, the raw material crisis necessitates reduced TiO2 usage, leading to investigations into TiO2 modification techniques. The study introduces a novel approach by employing natural fibers, specifically loofah sponge, as a TiO2 support. This method aims to maintain photocatalytic activity while minimizing TiO2 content. The article explores using halloysite, a natural clay mineral, as a supportive material, enhancing mechanical strength and adsorption properties. The resulting TiO2/loofah-halloysite composites are evaluated for their efficacy in gas-phase photocatalytic oxidation of toluene and ethanol, chosen as representative VOCs. The conversion of toluene and ethanol on the composite was 88 % and 39 %, respectively, with high selectivity toward CO2. In addition to its high performance, the bio-composite was stable for several conversion cycles, keeping the conversion activity unchanged. The study contributes to developing green hybrid materials for VOC removal, showcasing potential applications across industries.

Photocatalytic performance of SiO2@TiO2 spheres in selective conversion of oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline

Selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline reactions are investigated by using SiO2@TiO2 spheres produced in a simple route using chitosan as a template. The spheres are predominantly macroporous and, the XRD points out an amorphous crystallographic profile suggesting the uniform distribution of TiO2. Under low-power lighting for 4 hours, the conversions achieved was of the order of 49% and 99% for benzyl alcohol and nitrobenzene, respectively, with selectivity to benzaldehyde and aniline of 99% in both reactions. The study also follows the effects of the solvent and the presence of O2.

Development of PSA@PS-TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst: structure, mechanism, and application using response surface designs and molecular modeling

Using periwinkle shell ash (PSA) and polystyrene (PS), a new-fangled PSA@PS-TiO₂ photocatalyst was fabricated. The morphological images of all the samples studied using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) showed a size distribution of 50-200 nm for all samples. The SEM-EDX showed that the membrane substrate of PS was well dispersed, confirming the presence of anatase/rutile phases of TiO₂, and Ti and O₂ were the major composites. Given the very rough surface morphology (atomic force microscopy (AFM)) due to PSA, the main crystal phases (XRD) of TiO₂ (rutile and anatase), low bandgap (UVDRS), and beneficial functional groups (FTIR-ATR), the 2.5 wt.% of PSA@PS-TiO₂ exhibited better photocatalytic efficiency for methyl orange degradation. The photocatalyst, pH, and initial concentration were investigated and the PSA@PS-TiO₂ was reused for five cycles with the same efficiency. Regression modeling predicted 98% efficiency and computational modeling showed a nucleophilic initial attack initiated by a nitro group. Therefore, PSA@PS-TiO₂ nanocomposite is an industrially promising photocatalyst for treating azo dyes, particularly, methyl orange from an aqueous solution.

A novel detection strategy for nitrofuran metabolite residues: Dual-mode competitive-type electrochemical immunosensor based on polyethyleneimine reduced graphene oxide/gold nanorods nanocomposite and silica-based multifunctional immunoprobe

Excessive residues of semicarbazide (SEM) can accumulate in animals after the original drug has been abused, posing a risk to human health. Herein, based on multifunctional silica-initiated dual mode signal response, a novel competitive-type immunosensor was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of SEM. As a preliminary signal amplification platform for immunosensors, polyethyleneimine reduced graphene oxide composite gold nanorods (PEI-rGO/AuNRs) modified gold electrodes (AuE) provide a high specific surface area and high electrical conductivity. The thionine-aminated silica nanospheres-AuPt (thi-SiO₂@AuPt) were synthesized by a racile coprecipitation method for enzyme immobilization and redox species loading. The multifunctional silica nanosphere conjugated with labeling antibodies (Ab₂) was employed as an immunoprobe. The per unit concentration target of SEM can be determined by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) to detect the thi loaded on the immunoprobe, which can also be determined by square wave voltammetry (SWV) to detect the current generated by the reaction system of H₂O₂ and hydroquinone (HQ) catalyzed by the immunoprobe with peroxidase. Under optimal conditions, the proposed immunosensor displayed a wide linear range from 1 μg-0.01 ng/mL and low detection limits (S/N = 3) of 0.488 pg/mL and 0.0157 ng/mL, respectively. Ultimately, the developed method exhibits excellent performance in practical applications, providing promising probabilities for SEM detection.

Block Copolymer and Cellulose Templated Mesoporous TiO2-SiO2 Nanocomposite as Superior Photocatalyst

A dual soft-templating method was developed to produce highly crystalline and mesoporous TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposites. Pluronic F127 as the structure-directing agent and pure cellulose as the surface area modifier were used as the templating media. While Pluronic F127 served as the sacrificing media for generating a mesoporous structure in an acidic pH, cellulose templating helped to increase the specific surface area without affecting the mesoporosity of the TiO2-SiO2 nanostructures. Calcination at elevated temperature removed all the organics and formed pure inorganic TiO2-SiO2 composites as revealed by TGA and FTIR analyses. An optimum amount of SiO2 insertion in the TiO2 matrix increased the thermal stability of the crystalline anatase phase. BET surface area measurement along with low angle XRD revealed the formation of a mesoporous structure in the composites. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue, and 4-Nitrophenol as the model pollutants under solar light irradiation, where the superior photo-degradation activity of Pluronic F127/cellulose templated TiO2-SiO2 was observed compared to pure Pluronic templated composite and commercial Evonik P25 TiO2. The higher photocatalytic activity was achieved due to the higher thermal stability of the nanocrystalline anatase phase, the mesoporosity, and the higher specific surface area.

Enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial performance of a multifunctional Cu-loaded nanocomposite under UV light: theoretical and experimental study

Due to modern industrialization and population growth, access to clean water has become a global challenge. In this study, a metal-semiconductor heterojunction was constructed between Cu NPs and the Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂ composite matrix for the photodegradation of potassium permanganate, hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and p-nitroaniline (pNA) under UV light. In addition, the electronic and adsorption properties after Cu loading were evaluated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the prepared samples toward pathogenic bacteria and unicellular fungi were investigated. Photocatalytic measurements show the outstanding efficiency of the Cu-loaded nanocomposite compared to that of bare Cu NPs and the composite matrix. Degradation efficiencies of 44% after 80 min, 100% after 60 min, and 65% after 90 min were obtained against potassium permanganate, Cr(VI), and pNA, respectively. Similarly, the antimicrobial evaluation showed high ZOI, lower MIC, higher protein leakage amount, and cell lysis of nearly all microbes treated with the Cu-loaded nanocomposite.

Photocatalytic Phenol Degradation by Silica-Modified Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely applied as a photocatalyst for wastewater treatment due to its high photocatalytic activity and it can remove various harmful organic pollutants effectively. Under heated system, however, TiO2 is prone to agglomeration that decrease its abilities as a photocatalyst. In order to overcome the agglomeration and increase its thermal resistance, addition of silica (SiO2) as supporting material is proposed in this research. Silica or silicon dioxide can be extracted from natural resources such as beach sand. Here, we report the application of a composite photocatalyst of TiO2/SiO2 to remove phenolic compounds in wastewater. The photocatalyst was synthesized by adding SiO2 from beach sand onto TiO2 through impregnation methods. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that TiO2 was present in the anatase phase. The highest crystallinity was obtained by TiO2/SiO2 ratios of 7:1. SEM results showed that the shape of the particles was spherical. Further characterizations were conducted using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and a particle size analyzer (PSA). By using the optimized condition, 96.05% phenol was degraded by the synthesized photocatalyst of TiO2/SiO2, under UV irradiation for 120 min. The efficiency of the TiO2/SiO2 is 3.5 times better than commercial TiO2 P25 for the Langmuir–Hinshelwood first-order kinetic model.

Highly efficient photo-degradation of cetirizine antihistamine with TiO2-SiO2 photocatalyst under ultraviolet irradiation

Photocatalysis is an extraordinary and vastly researched topic; there is a need to find new ways to support producing composite materials that are cost-effective, efficient and have a low environmental impact. The investigation was undertaken on syn TiO2 by depositing it on silica. The results elucidate the positive effect on photocatalysis activity and the macroscopic structure on which the TiO2 is formed. For the analysis of photocatalyst, various characterisation measurements were undertaken, such as XRD, FTIR, DRS, FESEM, TEM, RS, and BET. The accumulated TiO2 onto the surface of SiO2 stabilised its transformation of the phase from anatase to rutile, resulting in decreased particle size and enhancing its photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. The concentration of OH• radicals was determined using terephthalic acid as a probe molecule to determine its role in the photocatalytic degradation of antihistamine. The results of BET analysis showed that the syn TiO2-SiO2 sample has a large specific surface area of 192.6 m2 g−1. Maximum degradation of cetirizine (about 97%) was achieved with 80% TiO2-20% SiO2 (TS-4). Recyclability test confirmed that 80% TiO2-20% SiO2 sample was stable up to six cycles.

Photocatalytic Activity of Multicompound TiO2/SiO2 Nanoparticles

Multicompound TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticles with a diameter of 50–70 nm were generated using a liquid flame spray (LFS) nanoparticle deposition in a single flame. Here, we study the photocatalytic activity of deposited multicompound nanoparticles in gas-phase via oxidation of acetylene into carbon dioxide that gives new insight about the multicompound nanoparticle morphology. A small addition of SiO2 content of 0.5%, 1.0% and 3.0% significantly suppressed the photocatalytic activity by 33%, 44% and 70%, respectively, whereas 5.0% SiO2 addition completely removed the activity. This may be due to a formation of a thin passivating SiO2 layer on top of the of the TiO2 nanostructures during the LFS nanoparticle deposition. Surface wetting results support this hypothesis with a significant increase in water contact angle as the SiO2 content is increased.

Application of Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles in TiO2-SiO2 Composite as an Efficient Solar-Activated Photocatalyst: A Review Paper

Over the last decade, interest in the utilization of solar energy for photocatalysis treatment processes has taken centre-stage. Researchers had focused on doping TiO₂ with SiO₂ to obtain an efficient degradation rate of various types of target pollutants both under UV and visible-light irradiation. In order to further improve this degradation effect, some researchers resorted to incorporate plasmonic metal nanoparticles such as silver and gold into the combined TiO₂-SiO₂ to fully optimize the TiO₂-SiO₂’s potential in the visible-light region. This article focuses on the challenges in utilizing TiO₂ in the visible-light region, the contribution of SiO₂ in enhancing photocatalytic activities of the TiO₂-SiO₂ photocatalyst, and the ability of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (Ag and Au) to edge the TiO₂-SiO₂ photocatalyst toward an efficient solar photocatalyst.

Effect of diatomite addition on crystalline phase formation of TiO2 and photocatalytic degradation of MDMA

Different composites TiO₂@SiO₂ were obtained by in situ synthesis of TiO₂ on Algerian diatomite. Our results show that there is an optimum amount of diatomite which leads to mixed TiO₂ phase with enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Paving the Way for A Sustainable and Efficient SiO2/TiO2 Photocatalytic Composite

Although photocatalysis is an extraordinary and tremendously explored topic, there is a need to find new ways to encourage the production of composite materials that are economical, efficient and with limited environmental impact. Nanocatalysts may benefit from appropriate support material for many reasons. In this study, TiO2 was deposited on SiO2, so that the silica not only provides the macroscopic structure on which the TiO2 is formed, but it positively affects the photocatalytic activity as well. This is because of the greater specific surface area which favors the adsorption of pollutants near the photocatalyst, the higher amount of surface-adsorbed water and hydroxyl groups and the inhibition of the photogenerated electron-hole recombination. The choice of preparing the Ti-precursor starting from titanium shavings and to directly deposit TiO2 on micrometric-sized silica by a simple hydrothermal method highlights the process sustainability. The results showed that it is possible to produce a photocatalytic composite from secondary materials, exhibiting excellent photocatalytic properties, comparable to the pristine one, and opening the possibility for large-scale production.

Application of doped photocatalysts for organic pollutant degradation - A review

Advanced oxidation process involves production of hydroxyl radical for industrial wastewater treatment. This method is based on the irradiation of UV light to photocatalysts such as TiO₂ and ZnO for photodegradation of pollutant. UV light is used for irradiation in photocatalytic process because TiO₂ has a high band gap energy which is around 3.2 eV. There can be shift adsorption to visible light by reducing the band gap energy to below 3.2 eV. Doped catalyst is one of the means to reduce band gap energy. Different methods are used for doped catalyst which uses transition metals and titanium dioxide. The band gap energy of three types of transition metals Fe, Cd and Co after being doped with TiO_2, are around 2.88 ev, 2.97ev and 2.96 ev, respectively which are all below TiO₂ energy. Some of the transition metals change the energy level to below 3.2 eV and the adsorption shifts to visible light for degradation of industrial pollutant after being doped with titanium dioxide. This paper aims at providing a deep insight into advanced oxidation processes, photocatalysts and their applications in wastewater treatment, doping processes and the effects of operational factors on photocatalytic degradation.

The effect of silica thickness on nano TiO2 particles for functional polyurethane nanocomposites

In order to help reduce the agglomeration of TiO₂ nanoparticles in polyurethane coatings while enhancing their photoactivity and mechanical/physical properties, this work examined encapsulating TiO₂ nanoparticles in a thin layer of SiO₂, prior to their nanocomposite polymerization. By applying a Stöber process, varying thicknesses of SiO₂ were successfully coated onto the surface of anatase and rutile TiO₂ nanoparticles. The methylene blue results showed that different loadings of SiO₂ onto the TiO₂ surface significantly influenced their photocatalytic activity. When the loading weight of SiO₂ was lower than 3.25 wt%, the photocatalytic activity was enhanced, while with higher loadings, it gave lower photocatalytic activity. When the rutile phase TiO₂ surface was fully covered with SiO₂, an enhanced photocatalytic activity was observed. When these silica coated nanoparticles were applied in polyurethane coatings, increasing the amount of SiO₂ on the titania surface increased the coatings contact angle from 75° to 87° for anatase phase and 70°-78° for rutile phase. The Young's modulus was also increased from 1.06 GPa to 2.77 GMPa for anatase phase and 1.06-2.17 GPa for rutile phase, attributed to the silica layer giving better integration. The thermal conductivity of the polyurethane coatings was also successfully decreased by encapsulating SiO₂ on the titania surface for next generation high performance coatings.

Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of furfural and acetophenone in water media using nano-TiO2-SiO2 deposited on cementitious materials

In the present study, silicon dioxide (SiO₂) nanoparticles were loaded to titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nano-particles by sol-gel method to make a high porosity photocatalyst nano-hybrid. These photocatalysts were synthesized using titanium tetrachloride and tetraethyl orthosilicate as titanium and silicon sources, respectively, and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope methods. Subsequently, the optimizations of the component and operation conditions were investigated. Then, nano-sized TiO₂ and TiO₂-SiO₂ were supported on concrete bricks by the dip coating process. The photocatalytic activity of nano photocatalysts under UV irradiation was examined by studying the decomposition of aqueous solutions of furfural and acetophenone (10 mg/L) as model of organic pollutants to CO₂ and H₂O at room temperature. A decrease in the concentration of these pollutants was assayed by using UV-visible absorption, gas chromatography technique, and chemical oxygen demand. The removal of these pollutants from water using the concrete-supported photocatalysts under UV irradiation was performed with a greater efficiency, which does not require an additional separation stage to recover the catalyst. Therefore, it would be applicable to use in industrial wastewater treatment at room temperature and atmospheric pressure within the optimized pH range.

Influence of the porous texture of SBA-15 mesoporous silica on the anatase formation in TiO2–SiO2 nanocomposites

TiO₂–SiO₂ composites with 44 wt% of anatase exhibit a better MO degradation rate than those with fully crystallized anatase.

TiO2/palygorskite composite nanocrystalline films prepared by surfactant templating route: synergistic effect to the photocatalytic degradation of an azo-dye in water

Microfibrous palygorskite clay mineral and nanocrystalline TiO(2) are incorporating in the preparation of nanocomposite films on glass substrates via sol-gel route at 500°C. The synthesis involves a simple chemical method employing nonionic surfactant molecule as pore directing agent along with the acetic acid-based sol-gel route without direct addition of water molecules. Drying and thermal treatment of composite films lead to the elimination of organic material while ensure the formation of TiO(2) nanoparticles homogeneously distributed on the surface of the palygorskite microfibers. TiO(2) nanocomposite films without cracks consisted of small crystallites in size (12-16 nm) and anatase crystal phase was found to cover palygorskite microfibers. The composite films were characterized by microscopy techniques, UV-vis, IR spectroscopy, and porosimetry methods in order to examine their structural properties. Palygorskite/TiO(2) composite films with variable quantities of palygorskite (0-2 w/w ratio) were tested as new photocatalysts in the photo-discoloration of Basic Blue 41 azo-dye in water. These nanocomposite films proved to be very promising photocatalysts and highly effective to dye's discoloration in spite of the small amount of immobilized palygorskite/TiO(2) catalyst onto glass substrates. 3:2 palygorskite/TiO(2) weight ratio was finally the most efficient photocatalyst while reproducible discoloration results of the dye were obtained after three cycles with same catalyst. It was also found that palygorskite showed a positive synergistic effect to the TiO(2) photocatalysis.

Highly efficient visible light TiO2 photocatalyst prepared by sol-gel method at temperatures lower than 300°C

Highly efficient visible light TiO(2) photocatalyst was prepared by the sol-gel method at lower temperature (≤ 300°C), and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetric analysis (DSC-TGA). The effects of the heat treatment temperature and time of the as-prepared TiO(2) on its visible light photocatalytic activity were investigated by monitoring the degradation of methyl orange solution under visible light irradiation (wavelength ≥ 400 nm). Results show that the as-prepared TiO(2) nanoparticles possess an anatase phase and mesoporous structure with carbon self-doping and visible photosensitive organic groups. The visible light photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared TiO(2) is greatly higher than those of the commercial TiO(2) (P-25) and other visible photocatalysts reported in literature (such as PPy/TiO(2), P3HT/TiO(2), PANI/TiO(2), N-TiO(2) and Fe(3+)-TiO(2)) and its photocatalytic stability is excellent. The reasons for improving the visible light photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared TiO(2) can be explained by carbon self-doping and a large amount of visible photosensitive groups existing in the as-prepared TiO(2). The apparent optical thickness (τ(app)), local volumetric rate of photo absorption (LVRPA) and kinetic constant (k(T)) of the photodegradation system were calculated.

Preparation and characterization of photoactive composite kaolinite/TiO(2)

Preparation of nanocomposite kaolinite/TiO(2), using hydrolysis of titanyl sulfate in the presence of kaolin was addressed. A variable (kaolin)/(titanyl sulfate) ratio has been used in order to achieve the desired TiO(2) content in prepared nanocomposites. Calcination of the composites at 600 °C led to the transformation of the kaolinite to metakaolinite and to origination of metakaolinite/TiO(2) composites. The prepared samples were investigated using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the UV-VIS region. Structural ordering of TiO(2) on the kaolinite particle surface was modeled using empirical force field atomistic simulations in the Material Studio modeling environment. Photodegradation activity of the composites prepared was evaluated by the discoloration of Acid Orange 7 aqueous solution.