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A Floating Porous Crystalline TiO 2 Ceramic with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance for Wastewater Decontamination
Author(s) -
Xing Zipeng,
Li Jiazhe,
Wang Qiang,
Zhou Wei,
Tian Guohui,
Pan Kai,
Tian Chungui,
Zou Jinlong,
Fu Honggang
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201201494
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , calcination , rhodamine b , sintering , porosity , chemistry , ceramic , chemical engineering , photodegradation , wastewater , compressive strength , materials science , composite material , waste management , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering
A highly porous TiO 2 ceramic floating photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by using ethanediamine‐modified Degussa P25 as precursor, followed by a camphene‐based freeze‐casting process and high‐temperature calcination. The ceramics were characterized in detail by XRD, SEM, and TEM. The results indicate that an ethanediamine protector can inhibit undesirable titania grain growth and phase transformation during calcination. The porosity and compressive strength of the ceramics varies with sintering temperatures; the optimal sintering temperature, 800 °C, produces high porosity, high compressive strength, and high photocatalytic activity. The ceramics exhibit good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of rhodamine B (10 mg L –1 ), and the total organic carbon removal efficiency is up to 96.7 % after 5 h. The photocatalytic kinetics of rhodamine B removal are pseudo‐first order. The ceramics are recyclable, and no clear changes are observed after six cycles. Furthermore, the ceramics are also active in phenol, thiobencarb, atrazine, and octane. Therefore, this novel floating photocatalyst will likely have wide applications, including the removal of soluble organic pollutants from wastewater or the removal of oil pollutants from wastewater surfaces.