Titanium dioxide nanorods in regenerated cellulose membrane for photocatalytic degradation of phenol

Abstract

Polymer-inorganic nanocomposite membrane was successfully prepared via incorporation of nitrogen doped (N-doped) titanium dixide (TiO2) anatase/rutile mixed phase nanorods in the cellulose microfiber by using phase inversion technique. The use of the non-toxic solvent-based system and recycled newspapers as the cellulose source in this study provides a significant contribution towards the development of a green technology system. The incorporation of N-doped TiO2 nanorods that have been calcined at 400°C (T400) in regenerated cellulose membrane matrix has altered significantly its morphological and physicochemical properties, as revealed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Field Electron Scanning Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), UV-vis spectroscopy, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The UV-vis spectroscopy and XPS analysis confirmed that the highly visible light absorption capability of the prepared regenerated cellulose/titanium dioxide (RC/TiO2) nanocomposite membrane is due to the existence of nitrogen as dopant in the TiO2 lattice structure at 396.8, 397.5, 398.7, 399.8, and 401 eV. It was found that 0.5 wt % of N-doped TiO2 nanorods (T400) is the best loading in the regenerated cellulose/titanium dioxide (RC/TiO2) nanocomposite membrane with desirable morphological, physicochemical and photocatalytic properties. The RC/TiO2-0.5 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity of 96 % and 78.8 % in degradation phenol after 360 minutes under visible and UV lights irradiation. From the findings, this study promotes the use of RC/TiO2 nanocomposite membrane as a new green portable photocatalyst in the field of wastewater treatment without any residue of photocatalyst in the reaction system.