Enhancing activity of titanium dioxide photocatalyst by photodeposition of iron oxide

Abstract

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanomaterial is one of the most investigated materials as it has excellent properties for various photocatalytic applications [1]. However, it has been disclosed that the fast electron-hole recombination occurred in the TiO2 is still a great challenge to be solved. Introducing suitable metal oxides would be one great solution. However, for sustainable process, the employed metal oxide should be cheap, non-toxic, and abundant in nature. In this study, iron oxide was introduced on the TiO2 by photodeposition method. Iron oxide has magnetic properties and great biocompatibility, thus, it is suitable for wastewater treatment [2]. It was revealed that the addition of iron oxide did not much affect the structure, crystallinity, and the optical properties of TiO2. On the other hand, the fluorescence spectroscopy and photocurrent study revealed better charge separation and reduced electron-hole recombination with the presence of iron oxide. The modified TiO2 was tested for degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) herbicide under UV light irradiation for 1 hour. The best modified sample gave almost three times higher degradation percentage than the bare TiO2.