Synthesis of TiO2 - Activated carbon composite (variation of activated carbon particles size) and its photocatalytic tests

Abstract

TiO2 is a photocatalyst material with low adsorption ability, while activated carbon is a sorbent material with high adsorption capacity. The combination of the two materials, producing TiO2-Activated Carbon (TiO2-AC), is expected to increase the photocatalytic activity of the material. In this research, TiO2-AC composite has been successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method by varying the activated carbon particles size (60 mesh, 150 mesh, and 200 mesh). In this synthesis process, TTIP has been used as a precursor. The photocatalytic ability of the synthesized material was carried out in the photodegradation experiment of Cr (VI) compounds under UV irradiation. Based on the photodegradation test, it was found that the TiO2-AC (200) composite had the highest photocatalytic activity, successfully degrading 46.75% Cr (VI) for 12 hours. Based on the SEM image of the material, it was found that the TiO2 particles had attached to the surface of the activated carbon. This result is also supported by EDS data which shows the presence of Ti element on the material's surface. FTIR analysis of the material shows a shift in the prominent absorption peak of the TiO2 material towards a higher wavenumber. This is possible because of the intermolecular bonds between TiO2 and activated carbon in the synthesized material. From the XRD data analysis, it was found that the TiO2 formed in the TiO2-AC composite was TiO2 anatase.