Photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red 88 using Au–TiO 2 nanoparticles in aqueous solutions

Abstract

Metal loaded semiconductors in general possess greater photocatalytic activity than pure semiconductors. Hence, with an attempt to achieve higher photocatalytic activity, Au–TiO 2 photocatalysts were prepared by deposition–precipitation method and used for the photocatalytic degradation of an azo dye (Acid Red 88; AR88). The materials were characterized by different analytical techniques. A possible mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of AR88 by Au–TiO 2 in the absence and presence of other oxidizing agents (peroxomonosulfate (PMS), peroxodisulfate (PDS) & hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2)) has been proposed. The extent of mineralization of the target pollutant was also evaluated using Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis.