TiO₂ Nanoparticles-Coated Polypropylene Copolymer as Photocatalyst on Methylene Blue Photodegradation under Solar Exposure

Abstract

Problem statement: Pollutions of water bodies by dye wastes from textile industries and other sources have become critical consideration. A photocatalytic technique using semiconductor materials such as Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ) activated by lights has been considered as one economical method to solve this problem. Approach: We attached titanium dioxide on the surface of polymer grains as photocatalyc agents using a cylinder milling method. Photodegradation processes were observed in decomposition of Methylene Blue (MB) solutions, as waste model, under solar illumination. Several parameters were optimized such as the milling temperature, the milling period, number of coated grain layers on the surface of the waste. The repeatability of using the coated grains was also sipected. Results: Two layers of TiO 2 coated grains resulted the optimum decomposition rate of the MB solution. The milling temperature of 100°C and the milling period of 90 min produced the optimal decomposition rate. After five times repetition, the TiO 2 coated grains still function well by decomposition up to 97% MB compound. Conclusion: These materials have the potential in large scale wastewater treatment in the tropical regions and nearly do not require a complicated late handling in the process of separating the catalyst for treated water as well as requires very small energy, expect the sunlight energy.

A Potential Hybrid TiO₂ in Photocatalytic Seawater Desalination

“…Holes react with water to produce •OH free radicals from oxidizing the organic compounds. Hence, increasing the exposure time, more pairs of electrons and holes are formed to produce more hydroxyl OH for oxidizing the organic compounds [15].…”

Carbon Nanodots from Frying Oil as Catalyst for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Assisted Solar Light Irradiation

“…In addition, the other processes produce hydroxyl radicals (OH-) from the reaction: ℎ+ + 2 → − and 2 2 + − → − + . These free radicals have a quite high potential to oxidize the organic substances thus produced hydrogen dioxide H 2 O and carbon dioxide CO 2 gas (Aliah et al, 2012). The reduction and oxidation reactions which cause the degradation of methylene blue intensity due to the catalyst C-Dots.…”

“…These observation corresponds with the results which obtained by many researchers on photocatalytic processes methylene blue with solar light irradiation. This condition was one of the characteristics of photocatalytic processes methylene blue (Aliah et al, 2012;Subianto et al, 2013).…”

“…The separation processes of TiO 2 particle which became one of the problems are quite complex. To be effectively used for photocatalytic, TiO 2 particles require modification by way of immobilization of TiO 2 particles on a polymer with a low density and transparent (Aliah et al, 2012;Subianto et al, 2013;Isnaeni et al, 2013;Nogueira and Jardim, 1993). In the present work, we report on the use of C-Dots from frying oil as catalyst for degradation of methylene blue under solar light irradiation.…”