Semiconductor photocatalysis has the potential for achieving sustainable energy generation and degrading organic contaminants. In TiO2 , the addition of carbonaceous nanomaterials has attracted extensive attention as a means to increase its photocatalytic activity. In this study, composites of TiO2 and carbon nanotubes (CNT) in various proportions were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The crystalline structures, morphologies, and light absorption properties of the TiO2 /CNT photocatalysts were characterized by PXRD, TEM and UV-Vis absorption spectra. The photocatalytic efficiency of the composites was evaluated by the degradation of Sudan (I) in UV-Vis light. Introducing 0.1-0.5 wt% CNT was shown to substantially improve the photoactivity of TiO2 . The composite with 0.3 wt% CNT showed the best catalytic activity, and its reaction activation energy was calculated as 39.57 kJ mol(-1) from experimental rates. The degradation products of Sudan (I) with different irradiation durations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and a degradation reaction process was proposed.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.