Solar light induced photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue 220 (RB-220) dye with highly efficient Ag@TiO₂ core-shell nanoparticles: A comparison with UV photocatalysis

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Ankita Khanna ; Vidya K. Shetty
• 关键词：Ag@TiO2 core&ndash ; shell nanoparticles ; Photocatalysis ; UV light ; Solar light irradiation
• 刊名：Solar Energy
• 出版年：January, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：99
• 期：Complete
• 页码：67-76
• 全文大小：1753 K

文摘

Ag core-TiO₂ shell (Ag@TiO₂) structured nanoparticles with Ag to TiO₂ molar ratio of 1:1.7 were synthesized using one pot synthesis method and post calcination was carried out at 450 掳C for 3 h to convert it from amorphous to crystalline form. The Ag core and TiO₂ shell formation was confirmed by TEM and AFM. The particle size analysis revealed the average size of Ag@TiO₂ as approximately around 30 nm. EDS spectra showed the presence of O, Ag, and Ti elements. The improvement in optical properties was proved by DRS which showed significant red shift by Ag core in visible region. Ag@TiO₂ exhibited better photocatalytic activity as compared to Degussa P25-TiO₂, synthesized TiO₂, and the Ag doped TiO₂ photocatalysts under UV and solar light irradiation for degradation of Reactive Blue 220 (RB-220) dye. Higher rate of photocatalysis of RB-220 with Ag@TiO₂ was obtained under solar light irradiation as compared to UV light irradiation, confirming the capability of the catalyst to absorb both UV and visible light. The kinetics of degradation of dye was found to follow modified Langmuir Hinshelwood (L-H) kinetic model. Ag@TiO₂ can be recycled without much decline in the efficacy. Ag@TiO₂ has been found to be the effective photocatalyst for degradation of water contaminated with azo dyes under both UV and solar light irradiations.