Synthesis and Characterization of B/NaF and Silicon Phthalocyanine-Modified TiO2 and an Evaluation of Their Photocatalytic Removal of Carbamazepine

Abstract

This study investigated the synthesis of two different types of photocatalysts, namely, boron/sodium fluoride co-doped titanium dioxide (B/NaF-TiO2), and its analogue, a dye-sensitized form of silicon-based axial methoxy substituted phthalocyanine (B/NaF-TiO2SiPc). Structural and morphological characterizations were performed via X-ray diffraction (XRD); Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR); N2 adsorption–desorption at 77 K by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Barrett, Joyner, and Halenda (BJH) methods; transmission electron microscopy (TEM); X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS); and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The estimated crystallite size of pure TiO2 and pure B/NaF-TiO2 was 24 nm, and that of B/NaF-TiO2SiPc was 29 nm, whereas particle sizes determined by TEM were 25, 28, and 31 nm for pure TiO2, B/NaF-TiO2 and B/NaF-TiO2SiPc respectively. No significant differences between B/NaF-TiO2 and B/NaF-TiO2SiPc were observed for surface area by (BET) analysis (13 m2/g) or total pore volume by the BJH application model (0.05 cm3/g). Energy band gap values obtained for B/NaF-TiO2 and B/NaF-TiO2SiPc were 3.10 and 2.90 eV respectively, lower than pure TiO2 (3.17 eV). The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized materials was tested using carbamazepine (CBZ) as the model substrate. Carbamazepine removal after 4 h of irradiation was almost 100% for B/NaF-TiO2 and 70% for B/NaF-TiO2SiPc; however, the substrate mineralization proceeded slower, suggesting the presence of organic intermediates after the complete disappearance of the pollutant.

Immobilized TiO2/ZnO Sensitized Copper (II) Phthalocyanine Heterostructure for the Degradation of Ibuprofen under UV Irradiation

“…Desire driven by more and better food and crop production, public health protection, and personal care practices facilitated commercial manufacturing of anthropogenic organic chemical compounds [1]. These compounds have been reported to breakdown slowly or to be persistent for a longer period and/or bioaccumulate [2,3]. A wide spectrum of these compounds is found with respect to their applications ranging from pesticides to pharmaceuticals and personal healthcare products (PPCPs), to organic solvents, to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), to flame retardants, to artificial sweeteners, and other industrial chemical products [1][2][3][4].…”

“…These compounds have been reported to breakdown slowly or to be persistent for a longer period and/or bioaccumulate [2,3]. A wide spectrum of these compounds is found with respect to their applications ranging from pesticides to pharmaceuticals and personal healthcare products (PPCPs), to organic solvents, to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), to flame retardants, to artificial sweeteners, and other industrial chemical products [1][2][3][4]. Among these compounds, is a class of pollutants referred to as contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), anthropogenically synthesized organic chemical pollutants detected in natural water bodies at very low concentration levels [2][3][4].…”

“…A wide spectrum of these compounds is found with respect to their applications ranging from pesticides to pharmaceuticals and personal healthcare products (PPCPs), to organic solvents, to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), to flame retardants, to artificial sweeteners, and other industrial chemical products [1][2][3][4]. Among these compounds, is a class of pollutants referred to as contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), anthropogenically synthesized organic chemical pollutants detected in natural water bodies at very low concentration levels [2][3][4]. Based on their perceived harmful effects on human and the environment, several treatment technologies for their abatement with an integrated approach as they elude conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) due to their recalcitrant nature have been studied [2,3].…”

“…Among these compounds, is a class of pollutants referred to as contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), anthropogenically synthesized organic chemical pollutants detected in natural water bodies at very low concentration levels [2][3][4]. Based on their perceived harmful effects on human and the environment, several treatment technologies for their abatement with an integrated approach as they elude conventional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) due to their recalcitrant nature have been studied [2,3]. The application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the removal of such organic compounds including the heterogeneous TiO 2 -based photocatalysis approach for pollutant decontamination has gained huge interest and has been intensively studied [5].…”

“…Under this concept we recently reported the synthesis and characterization of B/NaF and silicon phthalocyanine-modified TiO 2 . The as-prepared doped TiO 2 -based materials were evaluated for the photocatalytic removal of a contaminant of emerging concern i.e., Carbamazepine as the model CEC [3].…”