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Highly efficient solar photocatalytic degradation of a textile dye by TiO2/graphene quantum dots nanocomposite

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Abstract

Herein, two sunlight responsive photocatalysts including TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and TiO2/graphene quantum dots (GQDs) nanocomposite for degrading a textile dye, Reactive Black 5 (RB5), were prepared. The results showed that 100% of 50 ppm RB5 could be degraded by TiO2 NPs and TiO2/GQDs within 60 and 30 min sunlight irradiation, respectively. Hence, much better photocatalytic activity in degradation of RB5 was achieved by TiO2/GQDs under sunlight irradiation compared with pure TiO2 NPs due to its lower band gap (2.13 eV) and electron/hole recombination rate. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism of RB5 by TiO2 NPs was elucidated by adding some scavengers to the solution. The main reactive species contributing to RB5 degradation were surface hydroxyl radicals. The first-order solar degradation rate constant of RB5 for TiO2/GQDs is greater than that of TiO2 NPs under sunlight illumination.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad for this project (Grant no. 3/41683).

Funding

This work was supported by Ferdowsi University of Mashhad (Grant no. 3/41683).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, 9177948974, Iran

    Zohreh Niazi, Elaheh K. Goharshadi & Majid Namayandeh Jorabchi

  2. Nano Research Center, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, 9177948974, Iran

    Elaheh K. Goharshadi

  3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, 9177948974, Iran

    Mansour Mashreghi

  4. Institute of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Straße 21, 18059, Rostock, Germany

    Majid Namayandeh Jorabchi

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  1. Zohreh Niazi
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  2. Elaheh K. Goharshadi
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  3. Mansour Mashreghi
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  4. Majid Namayandeh Jorabchi
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Zohreh Niazi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Zohreh Niazi and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Elaheh K. Goharshadi.

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Niazi, Z., Goharshadi, E.K., Mashreghi, M. et al. Highly efficient solar photocatalytic degradation of a textile dye by TiO2/graphene quantum dots nanocomposite. Photochem Photobiol Sci 20, 87–99 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43630-020-00005-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43630-020-00005-7

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