TY - JOUR

T1 - A comparative study on mesoporous and commercial TiO2 photocatalysts for photodegradation of organic pollutants

AU - Mohamed, R.M.

AU - Ismail, A.A.

AU - Kadi, M.W.

AU - Bahnemann, D.W.

N1 - Funding information: This Project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Abdulaziz University , Jeddah, under grant no. RG-18-130-38 . The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR for technical and financial support.

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - The photocatalytic activity of the mesoporous TiO 2 nanoparticles for the photooxidation of different pollutants molecules such as methylene blue dye (MB), methanol, imazapyr, and phenol were evaluated and compared to that of the commercial photocatalysts either Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 or Hombikat UV-100. The XRD and nitrogen isotherm results of mesoporous TiO 2 confirmed that TiO 2 nanocrystals with anatase phase were obtained and they possess large pore volume and high surface area of 0.29 cm 3 g −1 and of 162 m 2 g −1, respectively. The photocatalytic efficiency of mesoporous TiO 2 is 100% for all employed pollutants molecules, however it reduced to 60–80% and 40–60% using Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 and Hombikat UV-100, respectively. The initial photodegradation rate of the pollutants molecules over mesoporous TiO 2 is higher 2 and 3–6 times than that Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 and Hombikat UV-100, respectively. The enhancement of mesoporous TiO 2 is explained by easy diffusion of pollutants molecules into TiO 2 pores, minimize light scattering and excess •OH accumulated concentration into pores. The mesoporous TiO 2 nanoparticles possesses the transport characteristics of pollutants molecules involved in the photocatalytic reaction and, thus, promote the comprehensive photocatalytic activity.

AB - The photocatalytic activity of the mesoporous TiO 2 nanoparticles for the photooxidation of different pollutants molecules such as methylene blue dye (MB), methanol, imazapyr, and phenol were evaluated and compared to that of the commercial photocatalysts either Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 or Hombikat UV-100. The XRD and nitrogen isotherm results of mesoporous TiO 2 confirmed that TiO 2 nanocrystals with anatase phase were obtained and they possess large pore volume and high surface area of 0.29 cm 3 g −1 and of 162 m 2 g −1, respectively. The photocatalytic efficiency of mesoporous TiO 2 is 100% for all employed pollutants molecules, however it reduced to 60–80% and 40–60% using Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 and Hombikat UV-100, respectively. The initial photodegradation rate of the pollutants molecules over mesoporous TiO 2 is higher 2 and 3–6 times than that Aeroxide TiO 2 P-25 and Hombikat UV-100, respectively. The enhancement of mesoporous TiO 2 is explained by easy diffusion of pollutants molecules into TiO 2 pores, minimize light scattering and excess •OH accumulated concentration into pores. The mesoporous TiO 2 nanoparticles possesses the transport characteristics of pollutants molecules involved in the photocatalytic reaction and, thus, promote the comprehensive photocatalytic activity.

KW - Commercial TiO

KW - Mesoporous TiO

KW - Organic pollutants

KW - Photooxidation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051679603&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2018.08.019

DO - 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2018.08.019

M3 - Article

VL - 367

SP - 66

EP - 73

JO - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

JF - Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

SN - 1010-6030

ER -