TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine
The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic systems is a serious threat to human and ecological health. The photocatalytic degradation of PPCPs via titanium oxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) is a well-researched potential solution, but its efficacy is limited by a...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/8/2087 |
| _version_ | 1797522632470429696 |
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| author | Han Fu Kimberly A. Gray |
| author_facet | Han Fu Kimberly A. Gray |
| author_sort | Han Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic systems is a serious threat to human and ecological health. The photocatalytic degradation of PPCPs via titanium oxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) is a well-researched potential solution, but its efficacy is limited by a variety of environmental conditions, such as the presence of natural organic macromolecules (NOM). In this study, we investigate the synthesis and performance of a novel photoreactive composite: a three-dimensional (3D) core (TiO<sub>2</sub>)-shell (crumpled graphene oxide) composite (TiGC) used as a powerful tool for PPCP removal and degradation in complex aqueous environments. TiGC exhibited a high adsorption capacity (maximum capacity 11.2 mg/g, 100 times larger than bare TiO<sub>2</sub>) and a 30% enhancement of photodegradation (compared to bare TiO<sub>2</sub>) in experiments with a persistent PPCP model, carbamazepine (CBZ). Furthermore, the TiGC performance was tested under various conditions of NOM concentration, light intensity, CBZ initial concentration, and multiple cycles of CBZ addition, in order to illustrate that TiGC performance is stable over a range of field conditions (including NOM). The enhanced and stable performance of TiCG to adsorb and degrade CBZ in water extends from its core-shell composite nanostructure: the crumpled graphene oxide shell provides an adsorptive surface that favors CBZ sorption over NOM, and optical and electronic interactions between TiO<sub>2</sub> and graphene oxide result in higher hydroxyl radical (•OH) yields than bare TiO<sub>2</sub>. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:31:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f6623f14e314e4ba0cd3517479b5e30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:31:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f6623f14e314e4ba0cd3517479b5e302023-11-22T09:00:18ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-08-01118208710.3390/nano11082087TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of CarbamazepineHan Fu0Kimberly A. Gray1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USAThe presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic systems is a serious threat to human and ecological health. The photocatalytic degradation of PPCPs via titanium oxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) is a well-researched potential solution, but its efficacy is limited by a variety of environmental conditions, such as the presence of natural organic macromolecules (NOM). In this study, we investigate the synthesis and performance of a novel photoreactive composite: a three-dimensional (3D) core (TiO<sub>2</sub>)-shell (crumpled graphene oxide) composite (TiGC) used as a powerful tool for PPCP removal and degradation in complex aqueous environments. TiGC exhibited a high adsorption capacity (maximum capacity 11.2 mg/g, 100 times larger than bare TiO<sub>2</sub>) and a 30% enhancement of photodegradation (compared to bare TiO<sub>2</sub>) in experiments with a persistent PPCP model, carbamazepine (CBZ). Furthermore, the TiGC performance was tested under various conditions of NOM concentration, light intensity, CBZ initial concentration, and multiple cycles of CBZ addition, in order to illustrate that TiGC performance is stable over a range of field conditions (including NOM). The enhanced and stable performance of TiCG to adsorb and degrade CBZ in water extends from its core-shell composite nanostructure: the crumpled graphene oxide shell provides an adsorptive surface that favors CBZ sorption over NOM, and optical and electronic interactions between TiO<sub>2</sub> and graphene oxide result in higher hydroxyl radical (•OH) yields than bare TiO<sub>2</sub>.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/8/2087environmental photocatalysisPPCPs removalcarbamazepine photodegradationspray drying technologycore-shell structured catalysttitanium dioxide graphene composite |
| spellingShingle | Han Fu Kimberly A. Gray TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine Nanomaterials environmental photocatalysis PPCPs removal carbamazepine photodegradation spray drying technology core-shell structured catalyst titanium dioxide graphene composite |
| title | TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine |
| title_full | TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine |
| title_fullStr | TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine |
| title_full_unstemmed | TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine |
| title_short | TiO<sub>2</sub> (Core)/Crumpled Graphene Oxide (Shell) Nanocomposites Show Enhanced Photodegradation of Carbamazepine |
| title_sort | tio sub 2 sub core crumpled graphene oxide shell nanocomposites show enhanced photodegradation of carbamazepine |
| topic | environmental photocatalysis PPCPs removal carbamazepine photodegradation spray drying technology core-shell structured catalyst titanium dioxide graphene composite |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/8/2087 |
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