Absorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Machine Oil by Exfoliated Graphite-Supported Nanometer TiO2 Material

Abstract

By loading nanometer anatase onto exfoliated graphite with the sol‐gel method, exfoliated graphite‐TiO2 composite (EG‐TiO2) can be prepared, which can adsorb oil and can also degrade oil. In a technologic condition for preparing EG‐TiO2, the impregnated number of times is the most important factor to influence oil‐adsorbing capability, that is, when the impregnated number of times increases, the amount of saturation‐adsorbed oil decreases. The study of EG‐TiO2 photocatalytic degradation of machine oil based on the weight‐loss method and infrared spectrum method indicates that EG‐TiO2 has obvious effect of photocatalytic degradation for machine oil. Its performance is superior to pure nanometer TiO2 powder because nanometer TiO2 in EG‐TiO2 has three‐dimension laminar structure and comparatively high adsorption capability.