Titanate Nanorods Modified with Nanocrystalline ZnS Particles and Their Photocatalytic Activity on Pollutant Removal

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2016.09.001

Abstract

Abstract:

Aiming to produce materials with enhanced photocatalytic properties, the synthesis of new crystalline nanocomposites by combining titanate nanorods (TNR) with ZnS nanocrystallites is described in this work. The TNR modification was accomplished by an in situ nucleation and growth process of ZnS nanoparticles. Zinc diethyldithiocarbamate was used as the metal chalcogenide precursor. The prepared materials were structural, morphological and optical characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and powder diffuse reflectance spectra. Crystalline ZnS nanoparticles were obtained as a homogeneous and continuous layer, covering completely the TNR surface. The application of these new nanocomposite materials on photocatalytic degradation of pollutants was investigated. First, the evaluation of hydroxyl radical formation, using the terephthalic acid as probe, was studied. Afterwards, the adsorption and photodegradation of safranine-T, used here as a model pollutant molecule, was investigated. The obtained data indicate that the prepared nanocomposites have potential to be used as photocatalysts for organic pollutant removal. The best removal results (97% removal) were obtained using the 0.01ZnS/HTNR sample as catalyst (0.2 g/L; 10 ppm safranin-T solution) with a combination of a low dye adsorption (20%) and a high dye photocatalytic degradation (77%).

Key words: Nanocomposite materials, Surface modification, Photocatalysis, Adsorption ability, Optical properties

Naudin G.,Entradas T.,Barrocas B.,Monteiro O.C.. Titanate Nanorods Modified with Nanocrystalline ZnS Particles and Their Photocatalytic Activity on Pollutant Removal[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2016, 32(11): 1122-1128.

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1. Safranin-T chemical structure.

Fig. 2. XRD patterns of the NaTNR, ZnS/NaTNR and nanoZnS samples. Inset: NaTNR and HTNR XRD patterns.

Fig. 3. TEM images: (a) NaTNR sample, (b) ZnS/NaTNR powder, (c) detail of a ZnS/NaTNR particle surface, (d) nanoZnS prepared sample, (e) detail of a 0.01ZnS/NaTNR particle and (f) detail of a ZnS/NaTNR particle.

Fig. 4. Absorption spectra of the nano ZnS sample, and the NaTNR, HTNR samples before and after modification with crystalline ZnS nanoparticles.

Fig. 5. HTA concentration after 15 min of irradiation of a TA solution (3 mM, 150 mL) using 10 mg of each photocatalyst.

Fig. 6. Schematic representation of the energetic structure of the ZnS/TNR nanocomposite particles.

Fig. 7. (a) Electronic spectra of a 10 ppm safranin-T during 90 min of irradiation using HTNR as photocatalyst; (b) concentration of safranin-T versus time of irradiation using NaTNR, HTNR and ZnS/HTNR as catalysts.

Fig. 8. Safranin-T removal after 90 min of irradiation using NaTNR, HTNR, ZnS/NaTNR and ZnS/HTNR samples as catalysts.

Fig. 9. Safranin-T adsorption, photodegradation and total removal using NaTNR, HTNR, 0.01ZnS/NaTNR, and 0.01ZnS/HTNR samples.

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