Preparation of TiO2/activated carbon nanomaterials with enhanced photocatalytic activity in paracetamol degradation

Gloria, Diego Coelho Sanches; Brito, Carlos Henrique Vieira; Mendonça, Thais Aline Prado; Brazil, Tayra Rodrigues; Domingues, Raquel Aparecida; Vieira, Nirton Cristi Silva; Santos, Elias de Barros; Gonçalves, Maraísa

doi:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2023.127947

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Figure 4 c reports the C 1 s spectra, by considering the reference peak at 284.8 eV. All the samples investigated exhibited a peak at binding energy ranging from 285.4 to 286.1 eV, which was ascribed to the presence of Ti–C–O (Xing et al 2014 ; Roy et al 2019 ; Gloria et al 2023 ). It was interesting to observe that both the Fe-containing samples exhibited a shift of this peak at higher binding energy, specifically at 285.8 eV and 286.1 eV in the case of Fe/TiO 2 _SCS and Fe/TiO 2 _HT, respectively.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesoporous TiO2 and Fe-containing TiO2 prepared by solution combustion synthesis as catalysts for the photodegradation of paracetamol

Grifasi,

Deorsola,

Fino

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Water pollution due to emerging contaminants, e.g., pharmaceuticals, is one of the most frequently discussed issues. Among them, paracetamol received great attention due to its physico-chemical properties, persistence, and adverse environmental effects. Different techniques were employed for its degradation and, among them, photodegradation is considered one of the most suitable to pursue the aim. This work aimed to synthesize mesoporous TiO2, even with the presence of iron, through a one-pot method, with an enhanced ability to abate paracetamol. Precisely, pure and iron-containing (3.5 wt%) TiO2 were successfully obtained employing an uncommon procedure for this kind of material, mainly solution combustion synthesis (SCS). Moreover, a traditional hydrothermal method and a commercial Degussa P25 were also investigated for comparison purposes. The samples were characterized through N2-physisorption at − 196 °C, XRD, XPS, EDX, DR UV-Vis, and FESEM analysis. The catalytic activity was investigated for the abatement of 10 ppm of paracetamol, under UV irradiation in acidic conditions (pH = 3) and in the presence of H2O2. As a whole, the best-performing catalysts were those obtained through the SCS procedure, highlighting a complete removal of the organic pollutant after 1 h in the case of Fe/TiO2_SCS, thanks to its highly defective structure and the presence of metal Fe. To better investigate the performance of both pure and Fe-containing SCS samples, further oxidation tests were performed at pH = 7 and in the absence of H2O2. Noteworthy, in these conditions, the two samples exhibited different behaviors, highlighting different mechanisms depending on the presence or absence of iron in the structure. Finally, a kinetic study was conducted, demonstrating that a first order is suitable for its abatement. Graphical abstract

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mesoporous TiO2 and Fe-containing TiO2 prepared by solution combustion synthesis as catalysts for the photodegradation of paracetamol

Grifasi,

Deorsola,

Fino

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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“…Therefore, the use of GAC in water treatment plants has a very diverse scope depending on the parameters of the carbon used as well as the individual properties of water. The use of granulated activated carbon in ACT adsorption from water may prove to be a simple and economically beneficial method [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Removal of Acetaminophen from Aqueous Solutions in an Adsorption Process

Skwarczynska-Wojsa,

Puszkarewicz

2024

Materials

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Acetaminophen (C8H9NO2, also called paracetamol) is an active metabolite of phenacetin with antipyretic and analgesic effects and has been extensively used as a painkiller. Currently, the problem of pharmaceuticals in water and sewage is common, especially in highly urbanized countries. Laboratory-scale experiments were carried out using an adsorbent—granulated activated carbon (WD-extra)—to remove acetaminophen (ACT) from water. The initial concentration of acetaminophen was 20 mg ACT/dm3. The adsorption kinetics, influence of the pH on adsorption and dose of the used adsorbent were determined under batch conditions. The adsorption of ACT on activated carbon was more efficient when the water solution was acidic (at pH 2, it was the most effective). The highest percentage of removal (99%) was obtained for the WD-extra dose of 10.0 g/dm3. The time taken to establish the dynamic equilibrium of the system was 60 min. The effectiveness of adsorption was determined based on the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms. It was found that WD-extra activated carbon effectively removed ACT from water solutions.

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“…Heterostructure and composite photocatalysts can offer activity enhancement due to some mechanisms related to manipulating the photoresponse region and the fate of the electron/hole pairs [ 8 ]. In this way, TiO 2 has been impregnated on several porous supports such as silica, alumina, zeolite, and carbon materials [e.g., activated carbon (AC)] [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. TiO 2 /AC has been found to possess higher photocatalytic activity than bare TiO 2, as it combines the good photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 with the high surface area of AC [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this way, TiO 2 has been impregnated on several porous supports such as silica, alumina, zeolite, and carbon materials [e.g., activated carbon (AC)] [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. TiO 2 /AC has been found to possess higher photocatalytic activity than bare TiO 2, as it combines the good photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 with the high surface area of AC [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. In addition, TiO 2 nanoparticles loaded in the AC immobilization can resolve the limitation of using TiO 2 suspension, while AC is a very economical and useful adsorbent and is characterized by a high surface area, micro- to macro-pore structures, and a high degree of surface reactivity [ 31 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facile Preparation Method of TiO2/Activated Carbon for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

Le,

Vy,

Thanh

et al. 2024

Micromachines

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The development of nanocomposite photocatalysts with high photocatalytic activity, cost-effectiveness, a simple preparation process, and scalability for practical applications is of great interest. In this study, nanocomposites of TiO2 Degussa P25 nanoparticles/activated carbon (TiO2/AC) were prepared at various mass ratios of (4:1), (3:2), (2:3), and (1:4) by a facile process involving manual mechanical pounding, ultrasonic-assisted mixing in an ethanol solution, paper filtration, and mild thermal annealing. The characterization methods included XRD, SEM-EDS, Raman, FTIR, XPS, and UV-Vis spectroscopies. The effects of TiO2/AC mass ratios on the structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties were systematically studied in comparison with bare TiO2 and bare AC. TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited dominant anatase and minor rutile phases and a crystallite size of approximately 21 nm, while AC had XRD peaks of graphite and carbon and a crystallite size of 49 nm. The composites exhibited tight decoration of TiO2 nanoparticles on micron-/submicron AC particles, and uniform TiO2/AC composites were obtained, as evidenced by the uniform distribution of Ti, O, and C in an EDS mapping. Moreover, Raman spectra show the typical vibration modes of anatase TiO2 (e.g., E1g(1), B1g(1), Eg(3)) and carbon materials with D and G bands. The TiO2/AC with (4:1), (3:2), and (2:3) possessed higher reaction rate constants (k) in photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) than that of either TiO2 or AC. Among the investigated materials, TiO2/AC = 4:1 achieved the highest photocatalytic activity with a high k of 55.2 × 10−3 min−1 and an MB removal efficiency of 96.6% after 30 min of treatment under UV-Vis irradiation (120 mW/cm2). The enhanced photocatalytic activity for TiO2/AC is due to the synergistic effect of the high adsorption capability of AC and the high photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Furthermore, TiO2/AC promotes the separation of photoexcited electron/hole (e−/h+) pairs to reduce their recombination rate and thus enhance photocatalytic activity. The optimal TiO2/AC composite with a mass ratio of 4/1 is suggested for treating industrial or household wastewater with organic pollutants.

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Preparation of TiO2/activated carbon nanomaterials with enhanced photocatalytic activity in paracetamol degradation

Cited by 12 publications

References 48 publications

Mesoporous TiO2 and Fe-containing TiO2 prepared by solution combustion synthesis as catalysts for the photodegradation of paracetamol

Mesoporous TiO2 and Fe-containing TiO2 prepared by solution combustion synthesis as catalysts for the photodegradation of paracetamol

Removal of Acetaminophen from Aqueous Solutions in an Adsorption Process

Facile Preparation Method of TiO2/Activated Carbon for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

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