Highly Effective Disinfection of E. coli Using the Nanohybrids Ti1−xNixO2/CNTs

Abstract

The nanohybrids Ti1−xNixO2/CNTs (x = 0; 0.01; 0.03; 0.06; 0.09) were synthesized by hydrolysis. The samples were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and optical absorption spectra (UV–Vis). The XRD analysis shows that the Ni-doped TiO2 exists mainly in the form of the anatase phase. The average size of TiO2 nanoparticles attached on the surface of the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was found to be around 8 nm (based on the results from the XRD and HR-TEM images). The UV–Vis spectra of the Ti1−xNixO2/CNTs reveal not only a redshift due to the Ni-doping, but also an increase in the absorbance in the visible range due to nanohybridization of CNTs. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was tested by antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. The results show that almost 100% of E. coli was destroyed, indicating a significantly much higher activity than that of pure TiO2.