Preparation of photocatalytic TiO₂ nanoparticles immobilized on carbon nanofibres for water purification

Nyamukamba, Pardon

Title: Preparation of photocatalytic TiO₂ nanoparticles immobilized on carbon nanofibres for water purification
Creator: Nyamukamba, Pardon
Subject: Water -- Purification
Subject: Titanium alloys -- Industrial applications
Subject: Titanium
Subject: Nanoparticles
Subject: Drinking water -- Purification
Subject: Drinking water -- Contamination
Date Issued: 2011
Date: 2011
Type: Thesis
Type: Masters
Type: MSc (Chemistry)
Identifier: vital:11330
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/367
Identifier: Water -- Purification
Identifier: Titanium alloys -- Industrial applications
Identifier: Titanium
Identifier: Nanoparticles
Identifier: Drinking water -- Purification
Identifier: Drinking water -- Contamination
Description: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared using the sol-gel process. The effect of temperature and precursor concentration on particle size was investigated. The optimum conditions were then used to prepare carbon and nitrogen doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. Doping was done to reduce band gap of the nanoparticles in order to utilize visible light in the photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds. A significant shift of the absorption edge to a longer wavelength (lower energy) from 420 nm to 456 nm and 420 nm to 428 nm was observed for the carbon doped and nitrogen doped TiO2 respectively. In this study, the prepared TiO2 photocatalyst was immobilized on carbon nanofibres to allow isolation and reuse of catalyst. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was tested using methyl orange as a model pollutant and was based on the decolourization of the dye as it was degraded. The doped TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than the undoped TiO2. The materials prepared were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, DSC and TGA while the doped TiO2 was characterized by XPS, ESR and Raman Spectroscopy.
Format: 149 leaves; 30 cm
Format: pdf
Publisher: University of Fort Hare
Publisher: Faculty of Science & Agriculture
Language: English
Rights: University of Fort Hare

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