Efficient Phenol degradation by TiO2 Nanoparticles Doped with Non-expensive Metals

Abstract

In this work, TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized and doped using nonexpensive metals Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ by the solgel method. The 1% Cu 2+ -doped TiO 2 NPs and 1% Fe 3+ -doped TiO 2 NPs photocatalysts were been characterized by Scanning electron microscopy and dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X ray diffraction (XRD) to determine its morphological, textural and structural characteristics. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of two crystalline phases , anatase (majority) and rutile. SEM micrographs showed spherical particles of the TiO 2 and compact layers for 1% Cu 2+ and 1% Fe 3+ -doped TiO 2 NPs. EDX analysis confirmed only the presence of Ti, O, Fe and Cu. BET analysis exhibited that mesoporous materials were generated, with pore diameter between 12-16 nm and similar values for surface area (55-63 m 2 /g). The TEM images exhibited spherical shape nanoparticles with mean diameter of 20-22 nm. The Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ -doped TiO 2 NPs photocatalysts, were investigated on phenol degradation under UV/Visible irradiation and quantified by HPLC-FLD. The catalytic activity was investigated in different concentrations (0.5; 1; 5 and 10%) metal-TiO 2 NPs. The best catalytic activity occurred at phenol photodegradation by Cu 2+ and Fe 3+ -doped TiO 2 NPs atomic ratio 1.0 percent. The photocatalysts 1% Cu 2+doped TiO 2 NPs and 1% Fe 3+ -doped TiO 2 NPs exhibited high catalytic activity (99.9%) in phenol degradation.