Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology
Titanium oxide semiconductors are considered effective photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants. The photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide is influenced by several factors, one of which is its phase composition, with anatase being considered the phase with the highest photocata...
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| author | Desalegn Abdissa Akuma Henrik Lund Thi Thanh Hoa Duong Fekadu Fufa Jennifer Strunk Norbert Steinfeldt |
| author_facet | Desalegn Abdissa Akuma Henrik Lund Thi Thanh Hoa Duong Fekadu Fufa Jennifer Strunk Norbert Steinfeldt |
| author_sort | Desalegn Abdissa Akuma |
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| description | Titanium oxide semiconductors are considered effective photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants. The photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide is influenced by several factors, one of which is its phase composition, with anatase being considered the phase with the highest photocatalytic activity. In this work, a simple acid-assisted sol–gel process was used to synthesize a pure anatase phase by varying the synthesis and calcination temperature. The synthesized materials were characterized using various techniques and tested under simulated sunlight irradiation for the photocatalytic degradation of the drug diclofenac sodium (DCF), for which the pseudo-first-order apparent degradation rate constant and mineralization efficiency were determined. A pure anatase phase with high photocatalytic activity (up to 97% TOC removal) was obtained when TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthesized at between 70 °C and 100 °C and calcined at between 400 °C and 500 °C. Furthermore, the obtained data were used to predict the optimal anatase synthesis and calcination temperatures for DCF removal using a response surface methodology (RSM) method. The model predicted a synthesis temperature of 71 °C and a calcination temperature of 440 °C, which should result in a pseudo-first-order DCF decay rate constant of 0.055 min<sup>−1</sup> and a TOC removal rate of 100%. The experimentally determined values for the degradation rate (0.063 min<sup>−1</sup>) and TOC removal (97%) were in good agreement with the model’s predicted values. |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c2789c2a34534d0ca817180b54ba40e42025-08-20T02:12:40ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-01-01153140110.3390/app15031401Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface MethodologyDesalegn Abdissa Akuma0Henrik Lund1Thi Thanh Hoa Duong2Fekadu Fufa3Jennifer Strunk4Norbert Steinfeldt5Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 29a, 18059 Rostock, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 29a, 18059 Rostock, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 29a, 18059 Rostock, GermanyCivil and Environmental Engineering Faculty, Jimma Institute of Technology, Jimma University, Jimma 378, EthiopiaLeibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 29a, 18059 Rostock, GermanyLeibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT), Albert-Einstein-Str. 29a, 18059 Rostock, GermanyTitanium oxide semiconductors are considered effective photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants. The photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide is influenced by several factors, one of which is its phase composition, with anatase being considered the phase with the highest photocatalytic activity. In this work, a simple acid-assisted sol–gel process was used to synthesize a pure anatase phase by varying the synthesis and calcination temperature. The synthesized materials were characterized using various techniques and tested under simulated sunlight irradiation for the photocatalytic degradation of the drug diclofenac sodium (DCF), for which the pseudo-first-order apparent degradation rate constant and mineralization efficiency were determined. A pure anatase phase with high photocatalytic activity (up to 97% TOC removal) was obtained when TiO<sub>2</sub> was synthesized at between 70 °C and 100 °C and calcined at between 400 °C and 500 °C. Furthermore, the obtained data were used to predict the optimal anatase synthesis and calcination temperatures for DCF removal using a response surface methodology (RSM) method. The model predicted a synthesis temperature of 71 °C and a calcination temperature of 440 °C, which should result in a pseudo-first-order DCF decay rate constant of 0.055 min<sup>−1</sup> and a TOC removal rate of 100%. The experimentally determined values for the degradation rate (0.063 min<sup>−1</sup>) and TOC removal (97%) were in good agreement with the model’s predicted values.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1401titaniaanatasephotocatalysisdiclofenacdegradationresponse surface methodology |
| spellingShingle | Desalegn Abdissa Akuma Henrik Lund Thi Thanh Hoa Duong Fekadu Fufa Jennifer Strunk Norbert Steinfeldt Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology Applied Sciences titania anatase photocatalysis diclofenac degradation response surface methodology |
| title | Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology |
| title_full | Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology |
| title_fullStr | Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology |
| title_short | Optimization of Anatase TiO<sub>2</sub> Photocatalyst for Diclofenac Degradation by Using Response Surface Methodology |
| title_sort | optimization of anatase tio sub 2 sub photocatalyst for diclofenac degradation by using response surface methodology |
| topic | titania anatase photocatalysis diclofenac degradation response surface methodology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/3/1401 |
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