Agro-waste mediate to synthesize the solar light active titanium dioxide nanoparticles with enhanced efficacy of pollutant removal

Abstract

In this research work, Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were prepared from green waste by Wet Chemical method. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) precursor is converted to TiO2 nanoparticles by using the Musa-paradisiaca L. (Banana crop) pseudo stem extract as a capping agent. The non-dopant, anatase phase crystalline TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by using analytical techniques like TEM, HR-TEM, SAED, BET, FTIR, SEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, DRS, UV-Visible spectrophotometer and Zeta Potential. The green synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles with band gap energy 2.95 eV were used as a photocatalyst for the degradation of Indigo Carmine (IC) dye under solar radiation with an intensity of 1200*100 lux. Optimization process was carried out for three factors such as catalyst dosage, pH and concentration of the dye solution at constant time. TiO2 nanoparticles photocatalyst showed 99% degradation efficiency in 30 minutes (min) for the IC dye under optimum condition. This experimental work was confirmed by comparing with the theoretical results obtained from Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The RSM of the quadratic model produces a theoretical layout for the optimization process and provides the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) data which evaluate the importance of each experimental factor. The RSM results are well matched with the R2 value obtained from the experimental method. The biogenic TiO2 nanoparticles had greater efficacy in the degradation of IC dye for five cycles of reaction.