Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants

This paper reports on the photocatalytic activity showed by nanocomposites of TiO2 with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) (10, 20 wt%) for the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous medium under visible light irradiation. TiO2 was synthetized by sol-gel process, a...

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Main Authors: M. Romero-Saez, L. Y. Jaramillo, R. Saravanan, N. Benito, E. Pabon, E. Mosquera, F. Gracia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Budapest University of Technology and Economics 2017-11-01
Series:eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0008272&mi=cd
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author M. Romero-Saez
L. Y. Jaramillo
R. Saravanan
N. Benito
E. Pabon
E. Mosquera
F. Gracia
author_facet M. Romero-Saez
L. Y. Jaramillo
R. Saravanan
N. Benito
E. Pabon
E. Mosquera
F. Gracia
author_sort M. Romero-Saez
collection DOAJ
description This paper reports on the photocatalytic activity showed by nanocomposites of TiO2 with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) (10, 20 wt%) for the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous medium under visible light irradiation. TiO2 was synthetized by sol-gel process, and the polymers were incorporated by impregnation. Both the pure TiO2 and the nanocomposites were characterized using different physico-chemical techniques including specific surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All the prepared nanocomposites showed an absorption edge in the visible region. TiO2(90)/LDPE photocatalyst showed the best degradation efficiency after 180 minutes of reaction, without notorious decrease of degradation efficiency after three consecutive uses. Photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses suggested the presence of vacancies in the TiO2 structure promoted by a Ti–O–C interaction being responsible for the photocatalytic activity enhancement under visible light irradiation.
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issn 1788-618X
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publishDate 2017-11-01
publisher Budapest University of Technology and Economics
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series eXPRESS Polymer Letters
spelling doaj-art-ffad808422ba4fc0a084747005e46f4b2025-08-20T02:49:49ZengBudapest University of Technology and EconomicseXPRESS Polymer Letters1788-618X2017-11-01111189990910.3144/expresspolymlett.2017.86Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutantsM. Romero-SaezL. Y. JaramilloR. SaravananN. BenitoE. PabonE. MosqueraF. GraciaThis paper reports on the photocatalytic activity showed by nanocomposites of TiO2 with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) (10, 20 wt%) for the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous medium under visible light irradiation. TiO2 was synthetized by sol-gel process, and the polymers were incorporated by impregnation. Both the pure TiO2 and the nanocomposites were characterized using different physico-chemical techniques including specific surface area analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. All the prepared nanocomposites showed an absorption edge in the visible region. TiO2(90)/LDPE photocatalyst showed the best degradation efficiency after 180 minutes of reaction, without notorious decrease of degradation efficiency after three consecutive uses. Photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses suggested the presence of vacancies in the TiO2 structure promoted by a Ti–O–C interaction being responsible for the photocatalytic activity enhancement under visible light irradiation.http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0008272&mi=cdPolymer compositesTiO2/LDPETiO2/HDPEPhotocatalytic activityVisible light
spellingShingle M. Romero-Saez
L. Y. Jaramillo
R. Saravanan
N. Benito
E. Pabon
E. Mosquera
F. Gracia
Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
eXPRESS Polymer Letters
Polymer composites
TiO2/LDPE
TiO2/HDPE
Photocatalytic activity
Visible light
title Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
title_full Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
title_fullStr Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
title_full_unstemmed Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
title_short Notable photocatalytic activity of TiO2-polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
title_sort notable photocatalytic activity of tio2 polyethylene nanocomposites for visible light degradation of organic pollutants
topic Polymer composites
TiO2/LDPE
TiO2/HDPE
Photocatalytic activity
Visible light
url http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0008272&mi=cd
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