Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye
Currently, the study of semiconductor materials is very promising for the photocatalytic remediation of hazardous organic substances present in the air and water. Various semiconductors have been investigated in this interesting photo-assisted methodology, among them metal oxides such as ZnO, TiO<...
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MDPI AG
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1891 |
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| author | Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro Silvia González Hipatia Alvarado Jaramillo Francesc Medina |
| author_facet | Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro Silvia González Hipatia Alvarado Jaramillo Francesc Medina |
| author_sort | Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Currently, the study of semiconductor materials is very promising for the photocatalytic remediation of hazardous organic substances present in the air and water. Various semiconductors have been investigated in this interesting photo-assisted methodology, among them metal oxides such as ZnO, TiO<sub>2</sub> and their derivatives. In this study, ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthesized by the sol-gel method using Ti(OC<sub>3</sub>H<sub>7</sub>)<sub>4</sub> and Zn(CH<sub>3</sub>COO)<sub>2</sub> · 2H<sub>2</sub>O as reagents. The role of several conditions such as synthesis temperature and TiO<sub>2</sub>:ZnO proportion on the morphology and purity of compounds obtained was studied, and the suitable conditions for the synthesis of photocatalysts were determined. Various techniques were used to conduct a systematic investigation on the structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties of ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub>. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images show that ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> have a typical particle size of approximately 100 nm with a quasi-spherical shape. The adsorption and photocatalytic activity were investigated by the decolorization of Methylene Blue (MB) as an organic contaminant under UV irradiation both in TiO<sub>2</sub> and ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> supported over some Ecuadorian clays. The materials evaluated were prepared in the shape of 0.2 cm (diameter) and 1.0 cm (length) cylindrical extrudates. The degradation percentage of MB obtained was 85% approximately after 150 min of irradiation. The results obtained allow us to conclude that these synthesized materials can be used as adsorbents and photocatalysts. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:11:06Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-de263f828e874b9f832d005c30133f172023-11-20T14:31:44ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912020-09-01109189110.3390/nano10091891Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue DyeXimena Jaramillo-Fierro0Silvia González1Hipatia Alvarado Jaramillo2Francesc Medina3Departamento d’Enginyería Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, SpainDepartamento de Química y Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, Loja 11-01-608, EcuadorDepartamento de Química y Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto, Loja 11-01-608, EcuadorDepartamento d’Enginyería Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Av Països Catalans 26, 43007 Tarragona, SpainCurrently, the study of semiconductor materials is very promising for the photocatalytic remediation of hazardous organic substances present in the air and water. Various semiconductors have been investigated in this interesting photo-assisted methodology, among them metal oxides such as ZnO, TiO<sub>2</sub> and their derivatives. In this study, ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthesized by the sol-gel method using Ti(OC<sub>3</sub>H<sub>7</sub>)<sub>4</sub> and Zn(CH<sub>3</sub>COO)<sub>2</sub> · 2H<sub>2</sub>O as reagents. The role of several conditions such as synthesis temperature and TiO<sub>2</sub>:ZnO proportion on the morphology and purity of compounds obtained was studied, and the suitable conditions for the synthesis of photocatalysts were determined. Various techniques were used to conduct a systematic investigation on the structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties of ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub>. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images show that ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> have a typical particle size of approximately 100 nm with a quasi-spherical shape. The adsorption and photocatalytic activity were investigated by the decolorization of Methylene Blue (MB) as an organic contaminant under UV irradiation both in TiO<sub>2</sub> and ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> supported over some Ecuadorian clays. The materials evaluated were prepared in the shape of 0.2 cm (diameter) and 1.0 cm (length) cylindrical extrudates. The degradation percentage of MB obtained was 85% approximately after 150 min of irradiation. The results obtained allow us to conclude that these synthesized materials can be used as adsorbents and photocatalysts.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1891clayZnTiO<sub>3</sub>-TiO<sub>2</sub>photocatalysisadsorptionmethylene-blue |
| spellingShingle | Ximena Jaramillo-Fierro Silvia González Hipatia Alvarado Jaramillo Francesc Medina Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye Nanomaterials clay ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>-TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysis adsorption methylene-blue |
| title | Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye |
| title_full | Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye |
| title_fullStr | Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye |
| title_short | Synthesis of the ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>/TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanocomposite Supported in Ecuadorian Clays for the Adsorption and Photocatalytic Removal of Methylene Blue Dye |
| title_sort | synthesis of the zntio sub 3 sub tio sub 2 sub nanocomposite supported in ecuadorian clays for the adsorption and photocatalytic removal of methylene blue dye |
| topic | clay ZnTiO<sub>3</sub>-TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysis adsorption methylene-blue |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/10/9/1891 |
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