A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants
A sol–gel synthesis technique was employed for the preparation of anatase phase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au hybrid nanocomposites (NCs). The scalable, schematic, and cost-efficient method was successfully modified using HF and NH<sub>4</sub>OH capping agents. The photocatalytic...
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Gels |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/728 |
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| author | Abubakar Katsina Usman Diana-Luciana Cursaru Gheorghe Brănoiu Raluca Şomoghi Ana-Maria Manta Dănuţa Matei Sonia Mihai |
| author_facet | Abubakar Katsina Usman Diana-Luciana Cursaru Gheorghe Brănoiu Raluca Şomoghi Ana-Maria Manta Dănuţa Matei Sonia Mihai |
| author_sort | Abubakar Katsina Usman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A sol–gel synthesis technique was employed for the preparation of anatase phase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au hybrid nanocomposites (NCs). The scalable, schematic, and cost-efficient method was successfully modified using HF and NH<sub>4</sub>OH capping agents. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs were tested over 2-cycle degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) of ibuprofen and naproxen under direct sunlight illumination at 35 °C and 44,000 lx. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), fast Fourier transform (FFT), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) were employed for the characterization of the as-prepared sample. The characterization results from the TEM, XPS, and XRD studies established both the distribution of Au colloids on the surface of TiO<sub>2</sub> material, and the presence of the highly crystalline structure of anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs. Photodegradation results from the visible light irradiation of MB indicate an enhanced photocatalytic performance of Au/TiO<sub>2</sub> NCs over TiO<sub>2</sub>. The results from the photocatalytic activity test performed under direct sunlight exposure exhibited promising photodegradation efficiencies. In the first cycle, the sol–gel synthesized material exhibited relatively better efficiencies (91%) with the MB dye and ibuprofen, while the highest degradation efficiency for the second cycle was 79% for the MB dye. Pseudo first-order photodegradation rates from the first cycle were determined to be comparatively slower than those from the second degradation cycle. |
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| id | doaj.art-92099db49548400db2e6f1d41c176df2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:03:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
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| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-92099db49548400db2e6f1d41c176df22023-11-24T04:46:51ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612022-11-0181172810.3390/gels8110728A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic ContaminantsAbubakar Katsina Usman0Diana-Luciana Cursaru1Gheorghe Brănoiu2Raluca Şomoghi3Ana-Maria Manta4Dănuţa Matei5Sonia Mihai6Faculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaFaculty of Petroleum Technology and Petrochemistry, Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti, 100680 Ploiești, RomaniaA sol–gel synthesis technique was employed for the preparation of anatase phase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au hybrid nanocomposites (NCs). The scalable, schematic, and cost-efficient method was successfully modified using HF and NH<sub>4</sub>OH capping agents. The photocatalytic activity of the as-synthesized {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs were tested over 2-cycle degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) of ibuprofen and naproxen under direct sunlight illumination at 35 °C and 44,000 lx. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), fast Fourier transform (FFT), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS) were employed for the characterization of the as-prepared sample. The characterization results from the TEM, XPS, and XRD studies established both the distribution of Au colloids on the surface of TiO<sub>2</sub> material, and the presence of the highly crystalline structure of anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au NCs. Photodegradation results from the visible light irradiation of MB indicate an enhanced photocatalytic performance of Au/TiO<sub>2</sub> NCs over TiO<sub>2</sub>. The results from the photocatalytic activity test performed under direct sunlight exposure exhibited promising photodegradation efficiencies. In the first cycle, the sol–gel synthesized material exhibited relatively better efficiencies (91%) with the MB dye and ibuprofen, while the highest degradation efficiency for the second cycle was 79% for the MB dye. Pseudo first-order photodegradation rates from the first cycle were determined to be comparatively slower than those from the second degradation cycle.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/728modified sol–gel synthesisPhACsnanocompositescapping agentsanatase TiO<sub>2</sub> |
| spellingShingle | Abubakar Katsina Usman Diana-Luciana Cursaru Gheorghe Brănoiu Raluca Şomoghi Ana-Maria Manta Dănuţa Matei Sonia Mihai A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants Gels modified sol–gel synthesis PhACs nanocomposites capping agents anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> |
| title | A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants |
| title_full | A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants |
| title_fullStr | A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants |
| title_short | A Modified Sol–Gel Synthesis of Anatase {001}-TiO<sub>2</sub>/Au Hybrid Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Organic Contaminants |
| title_sort | modified sol gel synthesis of anatase 001 tio sub 2 sub au hybrid nanocomposites for enhanced photodegradation of organic contaminants |
| topic | modified sol–gel synthesis PhACs nanocomposites capping agents anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/8/11/728 |
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