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Titania-supported silver-based bimetallic nanoparticles as photocatalysts

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Abstract

Photocatalytic process has shown recently a great potential as an environmental friendly and clean remediation technology for organic pollutants in wastewater. This work described the synthesis of silver-based bimetallic nanoparticles using colloid chemistry and the subsequent immobilization onto titania to form composite photocatalytic materials (titania-supported Ag–Pt nanoparticles). The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and nitrogen physisorption. The catalytic activity of the photocatalysts was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of phenol and 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) in synthetic wastewater solutions. The photocatalytic processes were conducted in a batch photoreactor containing appropriate solutions of phenol and 2-CP with UV irradiation of 450 W. UV-visible spectrophotometer was used for analyzing the concentration of phenol and 2-CP in solutions. Parameters affecting the photocatalytic process such as the solution pH, phenol and 2-CP concentrations, and catalyst concentration were investigated. The results obtained revealed that TiO2-supported Ag/Pt nanoparticles showed a higher activity for UV-photocatalytic degradation of both phenol and 2-CP pollutants in the solution (as compared to the plain rutile TiO2). The photodegradation processes were optimized by the 0.5-g/L catalyst with a pollutant concentration of 50 mg/L for all the samples. Complete degradation for both phenol and 2-CP was achieved after 120 min.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge King Abdulaziz University (KAU, Saudi Arabia) for funding this work through the cooperation agreement with the University of South Florida, USA (KAU-USF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    M. A. Barakat, R. I. Al-Hutailah & M. H. Hashim

  2. Central Metallurgical R & D Institute, Helwan, 11421, Cairo, Egypt

    M. A. Barakat

  3. Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Department, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    E. Qayyum & J. N. Kuhn

Authors
  1. M. A. Barakat
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  2. R. I. Al-Hutailah
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  3. M. H. Hashim
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  4. E. Qayyum
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  5. J. N. Kuhn
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Correspondence to M. A. Barakat.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Barakat, M.A., Al-Hutailah, R.I., Hashim, M.H. et al. Titania-supported silver-based bimetallic nanoparticles as photocatalysts. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 3751–3759 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1306-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1306-1

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