Abstract
A series of ZnTiO3–TiO2 mixed oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a simple sol–gel technique and modified with hexadecyl trimethyl ammoniumbromide, sodium dodecyl sulfate, N-cetyl-NNN-trimethyl ammonium bromide as surfactant. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and scanning electron microscopy techniques (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of samples was investigated by degradation of 4-chlorophenol in water under sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-assisted sample was found to exhibit much higher photocatalytic activity than the other surfactants. The highest photocatalytic efficiency (100 %) was obtained with ZnTi-sodium dodecyl sulfate sample in 60 min. Hexagonal form of ZnTiO3 is found to be more effective for photodegradation. Meanwhile, the processing parameters such as the light source and the amount of surfactant play an important role in tuning the photocatalytic activity. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity for ZnTi-sodium dodecyl sulfate may be attributed to its small particle size, the presence of more surface OH groups, lower band gap energy than no surfactant included sample and the presence of more hexagonal ZnTiO3 phase in the morphology.
Graphical Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hermann JM, Guillard C, Pichat P (1993) Heterogeneous photocatalysis: an emerging technology for water treatment. Catal Today 17:7–20
Legrini O, Oliveros E, Braun A (1993) Photochemical processes for water treatment. Chem Rev 93:671–678
Schiavelo M (1987) Photocatalysts and environment: trends and applications. NATO ASI Series C. Kluwer Academic Publishers, London
Watts MJ, Cooper AT (2008) Photocatalysis of 4-chlorophenol mediated by TiO2 fixed to concrete surfaces. Solar Energy 82:206–211
Keith LH (1980) EPA's priority pollutants: where they come from-where they're going. AlChE Symp Ser 77:209
Stafford U, Gray KA, Kamat P (1997) Photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol: the effects of varying TiO2 concentration and light wavelength. J Catal 167:25–32
Stafford U, Gray KA, Kamat PV (1994) Radiolytic and TiO2-assisted photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol a comparative study. J Phys Chem 98:6343–6351
Mills A, Wang JJ (1998) Photomineralisation of 4-chlorophenol sensitised by TiO2 thin films. Photochem Photobiol A 118:53–63
Li X, Cubbage JW, Tetzlaff TA, Jenks WS (1999) Photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol.1. the hydroquinone pathway. J Org Chem 64:8509–8524
Li X, Cubbage JW, Jenks WS (1999) Photocatalytic degradation of 4-chlorophenol.2. the 4-chlorocatechol pathway. J Org Chem 64:8525–8536
Bak T, Nowotny J, Rekas M, Sorrell CC (2002) Photo-electrochemical hydrogen generation from water using solar energy materials-related aspects. Int J Hydrog Energy 27:991–1022
Kong JZ, Li AD, Zhai HF, Li H, Yan QY, Ma J, Wu D (2009) Preparation characterization and photocatalytic properties of ZnTiO3 powders. J Hazard Mater 171:918–923
Wu JJ, Tseng CH (2006) Photocatalytic properties of nc-Au/ZnO nanorod composites. Appl Catal B 66:51–57
Wang YW, Zhang LZ, Deng KJ, Chen XY, Zou ZG (2007) Low temperature synthesis and photocatalytic activity of rutile TiO2 nanorod superstructures. J Phys Chem C 111:2709–2714
Tang H, Berger H, Schmid PE, Levy F (1994) Optical properties of anatase (TiO2). Solid State Commun 92:267–271
Kavan L, Gratzel M, Gilbert S, Klemenz C, Scheel HJ (1996) Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical investigation of single-crystal anatase. J Am Chem Soc 118:6716–6723
Zou ZG, Ye JH, Sayama K, Arakawa H (2001) Direct splitting of water under visible light irradiation with an oxide semiconductor photocatalyst. Nature 414:625–627
Liao SC, Lin HF, Hung SW, Hu CT (2006) DC thermal plasma synthesis and properties of zinc oxide nanorods. J Vac Sci Technol B 24:1332–1335
Kim HAT, Byun JD, Kim Y (1998) Microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of modified zinc titanates (I). Mater Res Bull 33:963–973
Su B, Zhu P, Xu J, Zhao L (2011) Photocatalytic property of ZnTiO3–TiO2 nano-composite materials. Chin J Appl Chem 1:33–38
Wang YW, Yuan PH, Fan CM, Wang Y, Ding GY, Wang YF (2012) Preparation of zinc titanate nanoparticles and their photocatalytic behaviors in the photodegradation of humic acid in water. Ceram Int 38:4173–4180
Pozan GS, Kambur A (2014) Significant enhancement of photocatalytic activity over bifunctional ZnO–TiO2 catalysts for 4-chlorophenol degradation. Chemosphere 105:152–159
Konga JZ, Li AD, Zhai HF, Li H, Yan QY, Mab J, Wu D (2009) Preparation characterization and photocatalytic properties of ZnTiO3 powders. J Hazard Mater 171:918–923
Zhao LL, Liu FQ, Wang XW, Zhang ZY, Yan YF (2005) Preparation and characterizations of ZnTiO3 powders by sol–gel process. J Sol–Gel Sci Technol 33:103–106
Mohammadi MR, Fray DJ (2010) Low temperature nanostructured zinc titanate by an aqueous particulate sol–gel route: optimisation of heat treatment condition based on Zn:Ti molar ratio. J Eur Ceram Soc 30:947–961
Mao H, Li B, Li X, Yue L, Liu Z, Ma W (2010) Novel one-step synthesis route to ordered mesoporous silica-pillared clay using cationic−anionic mixed-gallery templates. Ind Eng Chem Res 49:583–591
Bai F, Wang DS, Huo ZY, Chen W, Liu LP, Liang X, Chen C, Wang X, Peng Q, Li YD (2007) A versatile bottom–up assembly approach to colloidal spheres from nanocrystals. Angew Chem Int Ed 46:6650–6653
Chai YL, Chang YS, Chen GJ, Hsiao YJ (2008) The effects of heat-treatment on the structure and crystallinity of ZnTiO3 nano-crystals prepared by Pechini process. Mater Res Bull 43:1066–1073
Hou L, Hou YD, Zhu MK, Tang J, Liu JB, Wang H, Yan H (2005) Formation and transformation of evolution ZnTiO3 prepared by sol–gel process. Mater Lett 59:197–200
Wu L, Yu JC, Zhang L, Wang X, Ho W (2004) Preparation of a highly active nanocrystalline TiO2 photocatalyst from titanium oxo cluster precursor. J Solid State Chem 177:2584–2590
Yu JG, Wang WG, Cheng B, Su BL (2009) Enhancement of photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO2 powders by hydrothermal surface fluorination treatment. J Phy Chem C 113:6743–6750
Muller J, Joubert JC (1975) Synthese sous haute pression d'oxygene d'une forme dense ordonne´e de FeVO4 et mise en evidence d'une varie´te´allotropique de structure CrVO4. J Solid State Chem 14:8–13
Fabbri D, Crime A, Davezza M, Medana C, Baiocchi C, Bianco-Prevot A, Pramauro E (2009) Surfactant-assisted removal of swep residues from soil and photocatalytic treatment of the washing wastes. Appl Catal B 92:318–325
Wu JC, Chung CS, Ay CL, Wang I (1984) Nonoxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene over TiO /ZrO catalysts: II the effect of pretreatment on surface properties and catalytic activities. J Catal 87:98–107
Zhong JB, Li JZ, Feng FM, Huang ST, Zeng J (2013) CTAB-assisted fabrication of TiO2 with improved photocatalytic performance. J Mater Lett 100:195–197
Tryba B, Morawski AW, Inagaki M, Toyoda M (2006) The kinetics of phenol decomposition under UV irradiation with and without H2O2 on TiO2 Fe–TiO2 and Fe–C–TiO2 photocatalysts. Appl Catal B 63:215–221
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Research Fund of the Istanbul University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ozturk, B., Soylu, G.S.P. Preparation of surfactant-modified ZnTiO3–TiO2 nanostructures and their photocatalytic properties under sunlight irradiation. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 81, 226–235 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4179-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-016-4179-9