How the Ti Precursor is Involved in the Effectiveness of Pt-TiO2 Materials in Photodegrading Methyl Orange

Abstract

As other studies have demonstrated, improving the effectiveness of TiO2 for environmental remediation requires that the properties of this oxide be modified using different synthesis methods. In the current study, labprepared TiO2 was synthesized using the hydrothermal method and two different Ti precursors (titanium butoxide and titanium isopropoxide). After the synthesis, the obtained titania was also modified using photodeposition by platinum nanoparticles. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the photocatalytic materials prepared in photodegrading methyl orange. The Ti precursors used in the TiO2 synthesis had a slight effect on the physicochemical properties of the oxide obtained. When titanium butoxide was used as a precursor, we observed a change in the bandgap value and some material with the largest surface area. Additionally, the addition of Pt increased the absorption of TiO2 in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum and slightly decreased the bandgap value of this oxide. The photocatalyst prepared using titanium isopropoxide as a precursor showed the most remarkable effectiveness in the degradation rate of methyl orange. This is the result of the lower band gap value of this material which leads to easier transport of the photogenerated charges during the photocatalytic reaction. We also observed that the addition of Pt has a detrimental effect on the effectiveness of TiO2 in dye degradation, which may be due to possible obstruction of the dye-photocatalyst interaction on the TiO2 surface because of the Pt nanoparticles observed by tem. The effectiveness of commercial TiO2 in methyl orange degradation is slightly higher than that observed in other evaluated solids.