Enhancement of Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline by Co-Doped TiO2 Templated by Waste Tobacco Stem Silk

Abstract

In this study, Co-doped TiO2 was synthesized using waste tobacco stem silk (TSS) as a template via a one-pot impregnation method. These samples were characterized using various physicochemical techniques such as N2 adsorption/desorption analysis, diffuse reflectance UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The synthesized material was used for the photodegradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) under visible light (420–800 nm). No strong photodegradation activity was observed for mesoporous TiO2 synthesized using waste TSS as a template, mesoporous Co-doped TiO2, or TiO2. In contrast, Co-doped mesoporous TiO2 synthesized using waste TSS as a template exhibited significant photocatalytic degradation, with 86% removal of TCH. Moreover, owing to the unique chemical structure of Ti-O-Co, the energy gap of TiO2 decreased. The edge of the absorption band was redshifted, such that the photoexcitation energy for generating electron–hole pairs decreased. The electron–hole separation efficiency improved, rendering the microstructured biotemplated TiO2 a much more efficient catalyst for the visible-light degradation of TCH.

Biotemplated heterostructure materials: opportunities for the elaboration of new photocatalysts and selective-oxidation catalysts

“…The resulting TiO 2 demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of phenol and RhB under solar light. 67 Furthermore, the addition of acetylacetone (ACA) during the synthesis process significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity, resulting in a threefold increase compared to the original material. This reveals a new role of natural latex as a template for the preparation of Catalysis Science & Technology Review other mesoporous materials.…”

Investigation of enhanced degradation of the antibiotic under visible in novel B/ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite and its electrical energy consumption

“…Therefore, treating tetracycline residues in the aquatic environment is an urgent issue. Physical adsorption, advanced oxidation, coagulation, biodegradation, and electrolysis methods have been developed [3][4][5][6][7][8], while the oxidation method using solar energy is receiving much attention from domestic and foreign scientists. This method is green chemistry because it takes advantage of the endless energy from sunlight and ecofriendly end products.…”

“…To overcome these disadvantages, many techniques to improve them have been researched and developed. These include metal doping (Ag, Au, Pt, Co) [3,19,21,22], non-metal doping (B, N) [23,24], etc. Nanocomposites based on zinc oxide and titanium oxide have been widely studied and applied in many different fields [10,25,26].…”

Applications of Catalytic Nanomaterials in Energy and Environment

“…In recent years, great progress has been made in thermal catalysis, photocatalysis, and electrocatalysis for energy and environmental applications. In particular, pollutant degradation [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ], green hydrogen production [ 8 ], indoor formaldehyde purification [ 9 ], oxygen reduction [ 10 ], and other fields [ 11 , 12 , 13 ] have ushered in major developmental opportunities and important original breakthroughs.…”

“…Improving the sunlight utilization efficiency and catalytic activity of photocatalytic nanomaterials constitutes the key problem restricting the large-scale application of photocatalytic technology. This Special Issue presents a detailed account of the internal mechanism whereby photocatalytic activity is enhanced via elemental doping [ 1 , 2 , 3 ], the construction of composite heterogeneous structures [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 10 ], the introduction of organic photosensitive materials [ 8 ], morphology control [ 9 ], and so on. These contributions provide various approaches to the design and establishment of efficient photocatalytic nanomaterials.…”