Preparing photocatalytic paper with improved catalytic activity by in situ loading poly-dopamine on cellulose fibre

Abstract

Photocatalytic paper is a composite photocatalyst generally prepared by loading semiconductors, such as titanium dioxide (TiO 2) nanoparticles on paper, and attracts sustaining interests. In this paper, poly-dopamine (PDA) was loaded on cellulose fibre by in situ oxidative polymerization of dopamine. The PDA-loaded cellulose fibre (PLCF) was used to make TiO 2 photocatalytic paper together with pristine cellulose fibre (CF) and TiO 2 nanoparticles to improve the performance of the photocatalytic paper. The loading of PDA on CF and the introduction of TiO 2 nanoparticles in paper were verified by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction technique, respectively. As observed by scanning electron microscopy, the introduction of PLCF significantly improved the distribution of TiO 2 nanoparticles in paper by forming a membranous substance. The photocatalytic performance of the as-prepared photocatalytic paper was analysed by decomposing methyl orange under UV light irradiation. It was confirmed that the occurrence of PLCF significantly improved the photocatalytic performance of the photocatalytic paper. The paper with the highest photocatalytic activity was prepared using a PLCF-to-CF mass ratio of 1:1. The photocatalytic paper with PLCF is stable in the process of repeated application. This work provided a new approach to prepare photocatalytic paper with improved photocatalytic activity.

Study of the Effect of Titanium Dioxide Hydrosol on the Photocatalytic and Mechanical Properties of Paper Sheets

“…In case of blank paper, the cellulosic matrix appeared open, porous, and randomly dispersed (Figure 7a), whereas in the 1.0% TiO 2 -modified paper sheet, the porous structure was lost and the cellulosic fibers were uniformly coated and cross-linked to each other (Figure 7b). SEM investigation confirmed the AFM results: TiO 2 nanoparticles are dispersed on the surface of cellulosic matrix, although some aggregates occurred (evidenced by red arrows in Figure 7c), probably due to some retention effects of sodium-alginate on TiO 2 nanoparticles [40]. As expected, the EDAX analysis revealed that in the case of blank paper the most intense signals are due to C and O: the main constituents of the paper sheets (Figure 7d).…”

“…One possible reason for the observed decrement is found in the negative effects of dye accumulation on the pores of paper, which could be responsible for the coverage of catalyst surface: the intensity of light reaching the surface of catalyst nanoparticles was reduced, thus lowering the number of the photogenerated hole−electron pairs [54]. On the other hand, the degradation of paper after its continuous immersion in water could not be ruled out, which could cause the loss of some TiO 2 nanoparticles, and therefore a slight decrease in the photocatalytic efficiency [40,48].…”

Cellulose Fiber-Derived Carbon Fiber Networks for Durable Piezoresistive Pressure Sensing

“…As shown in Figure l, the ratio of O on the PDA–CCFN surfaces sharply increases, and N appears owing to the loading of PDA. Comparing the FTIR spectrum of the CCFN with that of the PDA–CCFN (Figure S2b, Supporting Information), one can find that new absorption bands attributed to the C–O stretching vibration of catechol and N–H shearing vibration appear at 1280 and 1509 cm –1 , respectively, further proving the loading of PDA on the CCFs Figure , parts i–k and m–p, shows the top-view and cross-section SEM images of the PDA–CCFN, respectively.…”

Metal Oxide-Based Photocatalytic Paper: A Green Alternative for Environmental Remediation

“…Moreover, taking advantage of the pore structure created by a reticular fiber network, it has been previously reported that paper was employed as an enhanced support material for gas phase catalytic reactions [55]. Photocatalytic paper is not considered a disposable product anymore, as it can be reutilized several times for the degradation of organic modeling dyes [58].…”

“…The ratio of carbon/cellulose fibers also demonstrated to influence the MO photodegradation. Qin et al [58] described the production of photocatalytic papers containing a mixture of poly-dopamine-loaded cellulose fibers and pristine cellulose fibers and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 photocatalytic paper was shown by decomposing methyl orange under UV light irradiation.…”