Title: Fabrication of TiO₂/Al₂TiO₅ nanocomposite photocatalysts

Authors: N.D. Trung; H.C. Anh; N. Tri; L.C. Loc

Addresses: Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Ha Noi City, 100000, Vietnam; School of Education, Can Tho University, 3/2 Street, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City, 94000, Vietnam ' Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam ' Institute of Chemical Technology Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology 01 Mac Dinh Chi Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam ' Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam; Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM), Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam; Graduate University of Science and Technology, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet street, Ha Noi City, 100000, Vietnam

Abstract: In this work, TiO₂/Al₂TiO₅ (Ti/ATO) heterostructure catalysts with the different content of TiO₂ were successfully synthesised by sol-gel-based hydrothermal method. Characteristics of the synthesised catalysts were determined by various methods including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption (BET), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the addition of TiO₂ to Al₂TiO₅ significantly reduced the particle size, shifted the absorption band above 404 nm, and increased the specific surface area of the hybrid catalysts. The value of the anatase/rutile ratio can be controlled by TiO₂ content changing on hybrid samples. The sample containing 33% TiO₂ (33Ti/ATO) had the highest activity for cinnamic acid (CA) remove under irradiation of UV-visible light due to the proportion of TiO₂ anatase and rutile phases, more hydroxyl groups on the catalyst surface, small nanoparticle size, and high the specific surface area. The optimum reaction conditions including the catalyst dosage, the airflow, and the initial pH solution in the photocatalytic degradation of cinnamic acid at 25°C were determined on 33Ti/ATO catalyst. In the most favourable conditions, the CA removal efficiency reached 88.5% after 60 min, much higher than that on the Al₂TiO₅ sample with the removal efficiency of 38.0%.

Keywords: TiO₂/Al₂TiO₅; heterostructure photocatalyst; cinnamic acid; photocatalytic degradation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNT.2020.111328

International Journal of Nanotechnology, 2020 Vol.17 No.7/8/9/10, pp.607 - 622

Published online: 20 Nov 2020 *

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