Low-cost synthesis of Cu-modified immobilized nanoporous TiO2 for photocatalytic degradation of 1H-benzotriazole

Čižmar, Tihana; Panžić, Ivana; Salamon, Krešimir; Grčić, Ivana; Radetić, Lucija; Marčec, Jan; Gajović, Andreja (2020) Low-cost synthesis of Cu-modified immobilized nanoporous TiO2 for photocatalytic degradation of 1H-benzotriazole. Catalysts, 10 (1). ISSN 2073-4344

Preview

PDF - Published Version - article
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (2MB) | Preview

Official URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/10/1/19

Abstract

Cu-modification of immobilised nanoporous TiO2 photocatalysts, prepared by electrochemical anodization of titanium foils, were obtained via three different synthesis methods: hydrothermal synthesis, electrodeposition and spin-coating, using two different copper sources, Cu(NO3)2 and Cu(acac)2. Objective of this research was to investigate how copper modifications can improve the photocatalytic activity of immobilised nanoporous TiO2 under the UV/solar light irradiation. The best photocatalytic performances were obtained for Cu-modifications using spin coating. Therefore, the effect of irradiated catalyst surface size on the adsorption of model pollutants, methylene blue (MB) and 1H-benzotriazole (BT), was examined for samples with Cu-modification by spin-coating technique. The mechanisms responsible for increased degradation of MB and BT at high Cu concentrations (0.25 M and 0.5 M) and decreased degradation at low Cu loadings (0.0625 M and 0.125 M) were explained. 1H- benzotriazole was used to study photocatalytic activity of the given samples because it is highly toxic and present in most water systems. Characterization of the synthesized Cu-modified photocatalysts in the terms of phase composition, crystal structure and morphology was examined using X- ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Item Type:

Article

Uncontrolled Keywords:

immobilized nanoporous TiO2 ; electrochemical anodization ; Cu-modification ; photocatalytic activity ; spin-coating ; 1H-benzotriazole

Subjects:

NATURAL SCIENCES > Physics

Divisions:

Division of Materials Physics

Projects: