Photocatalytic Properties of Core-Shell Structured Wool-TiO<sub>2</sub> Hybrid Composite Powders

oleh: Haoshuai Gu, Hui Zhang, Xinyue Zhang, Yani Guo, Limeng Yang, Hailiang Wu, Ningtao Mao

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-12-01

Deskripsi

In this study, a special core–shell structured wool-TiO<sub>2</sub> (WT) hybrid composite powder also having TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles incorporated inside cortical cells was reported. The wool pallets were pulverized from wool fibers using vibration-assisted ball milling technique and the WT powders having mesopores and macropores were produced in hydrothermal process. Experimental results indicated that the infiltrated TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were amorphous structure, while the coated TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were anatase phase structure. The crystallized TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were grafted with wool pallets by the N−Ti<sup>4+</sup>/S−Ti<sup>4+</sup>/O−Ti<sup>4+</sup> bonds. The BET surface area was measured as 153.5 m<sup>2</sup>/g and the particle sizes were in the 600–3600 nm and 4000–6500 nm ranges. The main reactive radical species of the WT powders were holes, and •O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>, <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub>, and •OH were also involved in the photodegradation of MB dye under visible light irradiation. The experimental parameters for photodegradation of MB dye solution were optimized as follows: 0.25 g/L of WT powders was added in 40 mL of 3 mg/L MB dye solution containing 50 mL/L H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, which resulted in the increases of COD value of degraded MB dye solution up to 916.9 mg/L at 120 min. The WT powders could be used for repeatedly photodegradation of both anionic and cationic dyes.