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Zn+2-doped x-Ti–SiO2 tricomposites for enhancement the photo-catalytic degradation of phenol under UV irradiation

  • Original Paper: Sol-gel and hybrid materials for energy, environment and building applications
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Abstract

A series of zinc-doped titania–silica tricomposites (Zn/xTi–SiO2 ) with different Ti-molar ratios were prepared by sol–gel method. Zn+2 ions of 25 wt% were doped on the photo-catalysts using wet impregnation method. The as-synthesized Zn/xTi–SiO2 nano-catalysts were characterized through N2-adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, fourier transform infrared, dynamic light scatterings, photoluminescence, and diffuse reflectance techniques. Photo-catalytic degradation of phenol (PhOH) under 8-W ultraviolet C irradiation was examined. 96% removal was achieved in 150 min by using Zn/20Ti–SiO2. The kinetic study revealed that photo-degradation of PhOH follows pseudo-first order reaction mechanism, where the rate constant was 77.4 × 10−3 min−1. One-way analysis of variance, as well as Student’t-test at α = 0.05 level (95% confidence interval) was performed to comparing the means of the results obtained.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute and Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination UPR CNRS 8241, composante ENSIACET, Université de Toulouse.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute, 1 Ahmed El-Zomor St., Nasr City, Cairo, 11727, Egypt

    Radwa A. El-Salamony, Heba M. Gobara, Sherif A. Younis & Yasser M. Moustafa

  2. Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination UPR CNRS 8241, composante ENSIACET, Université de Toulouse, UPS-INP-LCC, 4 allée Emile Monso, BP 44362, Toulouse, Cedex 4 31030, France

    Sherif A. Younis

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  1. Radwa A. El-Salamony
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Correspondence to Radwa A. El-Salamony.

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El-Salamony, R.A., Gobara, H.M., Younis, S.A. et al. Zn+2-doped x-Ti–SiO2 tricomposites for enhancement the photo-catalytic degradation of phenol under UV irradiation. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 83, 422–435 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-017-4427-7

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