Anatase Phase Of TiO2 Research Articles

Enhanced Photodegradation of Sulfamethoxazole Through Cutting-Edge Titania-Zirconia-Based Materials

ZrO2, TiO2, ZrO2-TiO2, and TiO2-ZrO2 were successfully prepared using the sol–gel method and fully characterized to check their physico-chemical features. X-ray diffraction showed the co-existence of monoclinic and tetragonal ZrO2 in addition to the Anatase phase for TiO2. The formation of mixed oxides led to a reduction in the band gap values and a modification of the textural characteristics, while the XPS evidenced an oxygen vacancy-rich surface. The ability of the synthesized materials to eliminate drug contaminants was checked using Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) as a model molecule under UV and BLUE-LED irradiation. The materials’ potential to decrease wastewater toxicity was also studied. The best photocatalyst was TiO2-ZrO2 with 76 and 100% conversion under visible and UV irradiation, respectively.

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2 with tunable oxygen vacancies induced by H2/N2 mixture treatment

Surface treatment can effectively modulate the surface properties of a photocatalyst to hasten the separation and transfer of photoinduced charges, ultimately achieving high photocatalytic performance. Herein, surface treatment of anatase-phase TiO2 prepared by a hydrothermal method was performed under H2/N2 mixed atmosphere. The experimental results demonstrate that roasting TiO2 in a H2/N2 atmosphere can effectively reduce partial Ti4+ to Ti3+, thereby facilitating the production of tunable oxygen vacancies (OVs) by disrupting Ti-O-Ti bonds. OVs can construct defective energy levels to bring about a decrease in the bandgap of TiO2 and an extension of light absorption range. Moreover, OVs remarkedly improve the separation of photoinduced charges of TiO2 and accelerate the photocatalytic reaction as active sites. The photocatalytic experimental results demonstrate that TiO2 exhibits the highest performance when roasting TiO2 in a H2/N2 atmosphere for 2 h, and the photocatalytic degradation rate constant of rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC) on this sample under simulated solar light irradiation is 2.24 and 1.11 times higher than that on the reference TiO2, respectively. These findings provide valuable insights for designing highly efficient photocatalysts for effective water pollution treatment.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Ternary MgFe2O4/CuO/TiO2 Nanocomposite for Visible Light Photodegradation of Malachite Green Dye

Novel ternary MgFe2O4/CuO/TiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized using the sol-gel method at low temperatures. The XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, TEM, UV-visible DRS and VSM techniques were used to characterize the structure, shape, optical, morphology and magnetic properties. The XRD examination revealed typical peaks in nanocomposites, including the anatase phase of TiO2 with an average diameter of 9 nm, consistent with the TEM data. The SEM morphology examinations revealed spherical particles, while EDAX analysis indicated the corresponding components (Fe, Ti, O, Mg and Cu) in the prepared nanocomposites. The UV-DRS measurements revealed that the synthesized nanocomposite has a band-gap energy of 2.30 eV. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) was used to trace the M-H loop of MgFe2O4, yielding magnetic parameters such as saturation magnetization (Ms). The catalytic activity of the as-prepared sample was examined by the degradation of malachite green dye under visible light and UV irradiations. The photocatalytic studies demonstrated that MgFe2O4/CuO/TiO2 nanocomposite showed 100% degradation efficiency towards malachite green dye. Under visible light and UV irradiations, the synthesized MgFe2O4/CuO/TiO2 sample with a molar ratio of 0.8:0.1:0.1 demonstrated good catalytic efficiency. The antibacterial activity investigations were done against Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis bacteria utilizing nanocomposites.

Synthesis and Characterization of TiO2 -CQDs Nanocomposites and Testing of Their Anticancer Potential

This work used a green approach to produce carbon quantum dots (CQDs). TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and TiO2–CQDs nanocomposites with different weight ratios of CQDs were organized through a facile sol-gel method. XRD showed that the anatase and rutile phases of TiO2 were polycrystalline with a tetragonal structure and that the CQDs exhibited a broad peak at (002) and a hexagonal structure. High resolution-transmission-electron microscopy revealed that the TiO2 NPs agglomerated in mostly spherical shapes and that the anatase and rutile phases of TiO2 had sizes of less than 15 and 25 nm, respectively. The CQDs had a relatively uniform diameter, a spherical shape with a highly crystalline structure, and a size below 2 nm. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed that the absorbance of the TiO2- CQDs nanocomposites increased with the increase in CQD ratio. The energy band gaps of the anatase and rutile phases were 3.07 and 2.7 eV, respectively, whereas that of CQDs was 3.14 eV. Meanwhile, the energy band gaps of the TiO2–CQDs nanocomposites decreased with the increase in CQDs ratio. The growth inhibition rates of the liver cancer HepG2 cell line and the normal cell line RD were measured after 24 hours of experience to the two TiO2 phases and TiO2–CQDs nanocomposites. The cytotoxicity test presented that the tested substances were extremely harmful to cells in cancer. Inhibition rates increased with the increase in CQDs ratio. The inhibition rate of growth in cancer cells, including the liver cancer HepG2 cell line and the normal cell line (RD), was measured for 24 hours after they were exposed to TiO2 (two phases) and TiO2-CQDs nanocomposites. The samples showed a slight effect on the normal line (RD) compared to HepG2 cancer. The highest inhibition rate was 12.11% for the CQD 0.7 sample.

Enhanced efficiency, electron lifetime, and eco-friendliness of dye-sensitized solar cells using nanofibrous TiO2/ZnO composite photoanodes and natural anthocyanin sensitizer

Semiconductor is the main part of the photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study, an evaluation was conducted on two different morphological shapes of TiO2/ZnO semiconductors, namely nanoparticles (NPs) and nanofibers (NFs), to enhance the efficiency of DSSCs. The nanofibrous semiconductors were fabricated using the electrospinning technique. Furthermore, a natural sensitizer, anthocyanin dye, was used to promote the environmental friendliness of the fabricated cells. These cells were then compared to those that used a synthetic dye known as N719 to determine their efficiencies. The UV-vis results confirmed the extraction of anthocyanin from black plum fruits (Syzygium cumini). The structural characteristics of the composites were examined using XRD, FE-SEM, and BET experiments. The XRD results revealed that the anatase phase of TiO2 was dominant in the crystal structure of the semiconductors, while the crystallite sizes of the composites were 25.04 nm and 12.24 nm in NPs and NFs forms, respectively. The FE-SEM analysis revealed the formation of quasi-spherical NPs with an average diameter of 48.26 ± 17.75 nm and NFs with an average diameter of 153.99 ± 26.18 nm. The BET results showed that the surface characteristics of the nanocomposite were enhanced by changing the shape from NPs to NFs. Photovoltaic studies showed that utilizing NFs semiconductors in the photoanodes of DSSCs resulted in increased conversion efficiency of light to electricity. The results of the sun simulator studies confirmed that the use of natural dye led to a decrease in the effectiveness of the DSSCs. This phenomenon can be attributed to the weaker binding of the natural dye to the photoanodes. Furthermore, the EIS investigations illustrated that the electron lifetime in the natural dye is more than twice that of N719, leading to a reduced rate of electron recombination in the Syzygium cumini extract. The TiO2/ZnO NFs photoanodes exhibited superior performance compared to their nanoparticle counterparts in DSSCs. Their high surface area promoted superior dye adsorption and light absorption. Moreover, the interconnected nanofiber network facilitated efficient electron transport, minimizing recombination losses. Increasing the binding strength of the chosen natural dye to the photoanode will also make the cells more environmentally friendly and improve their ability to produce electricity.

A Comparison Study of Photocatalytic Performance of TiO2 Anatase Phase Prepared from Different Procedures

In this work, three TiO2 anatase phase samples, labeled as S1, S2, and S3, were synthesized using varying titanium precursors, solvents, and conditions to compare their photocatalytic performances. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized samples were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained results indicated that all samples exhibited an anatase crystalline phase. Sample S1 notably featured nanowires with an average diameter of 38.6 nm. Meanwhile, samples S2 and S3 comprised nanoparticles, each exhibiting unique average sizes of 12.76 nm and 10.11 nm, respectively. The diffuse reflectance spectra reveal that the S3 sample possesses the lowest bandgap, suggesting its potential as the most promising photocatalyst. Additionally, photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were characterized to elucidate the charge transfer mechanisms within the materials. The degradation efficiencies of Rhodamine B (RhB) for samples S1, S2, and S3 were determined to be 17.40%, 17.93%, and 33.04%, respectively, under visible light irradiation. This study provides valuable insights into the criteria for choosing efficient TiO2 photocatalysts.

Biosynthesis of TiO2/CuO and Its Application for the Photocatalytic Removal of the Methylene Blue Dye.

In this study, we successfully synthesized a TiO2/CuO nanocomposite using the aqueous extract of Impatiens tinctoria A.rich. leaf extract as a capping, reducing, and stabilizing agent for the first time in an environmentally friendly, low-cost, straightforward, and sustainable technique. Numerous characterization techniques such as ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS), photoluminescence (PL), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and high resolution TEM (HRTEM) were used to characterize the obtained TiO2/CuO nanocomposite. XRD verified that the TiO2/CuO nanocomposite has an average crystallite size of about 21 nm. The TEM result revealed an average particle size of 29 nm for the biosynthesized TiO2/CuO NC. The HRTEM analysis showed the presence of polycrystalline structures with the predominant lattice fringes 0.352 and 0.19 which were attributed to anatase phase TiO2 in the crystal plane of (101) and (200), respectively. The lattice fringes for monoclinic CuO were observed with values of 0.213 and 0.252 for the lattice planes of (111) and (111̅), respectively. The photoluminescence spectroscopic analysis revealed that the TiO2/CuO NC showed the lowest intensity compared to the pristine TiO2 and CuO indicating the reduction of exciton recombination in the case of the TiO2/CuO NC. The BET analysis showcased the formation of mesoporous materials with a surface area of 87.5 m2/g. The photocatalytic degradation performance of the biosynthesized TiO2, CuO, and TiO2/CuO nanomaterials against the potentially harmful MB dye was tested using the light source of a 150 tungsten-halogen lamp with a wavelength range of 360-2800 nm. The factors affecting photodegradation efficiencies like catalyst dose (20 mg), dye concentration(15 ppm), pH (9), and reaction time (90 min) were optimized for the degradation of the MB dye. The TiO2/CuO catalyst showed the highest degradation efficiency of 99% under the optimized conditions. The degradation rate of the MB dye in the presence of the TiO2/CuO NC was evaluated and found to be fitted to the pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.03 min-1. The reusability test of the TiO2/CuO catalyst showed its good stability.

Tweaking the structural, micro–structural, optical and dielectric properties of anatase titanium dioxide via doping of nitrogen ions

The pure nanostructured anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) and subsequent nitrogen–doped derivatives (TiO2–xNx; where, x = 0.005, 0.01, 0.05) were synthesized by sol–gel auto–combustion technique. XRD analysis confirms the formation of pure anatase phase of TiO2 up to doping of 1 mol% (x = 0.01) of nitrogen having tetragonal structure with space group of I41/amd whereas an additional monoclinic phase of TiO2–B was observed at 5 mol% of nitrogen doping in TiO2. This sample has smallest crystallite size of ∼4.7 ± 0.2 nm corresponding to TiO2–B phase and ∼12.0 ± 0.1 nm corresponding to anatase phase. XRD also reveals that the crystallite size of all other samples having pure anatase phase ranges between ∼8.7 ± 0.1 nm & 13.9 ± 0.1 nm. The crystalline phase revealed from XRD of all samples was further supported by the Raman analysis. The direct optical band gap of pure TiO2 (∼3.4 eV) was reduced non–monotonically after nitrogen doping in the ranges from ∼2.8 eV (TiO1.95N0.05) to ∼2.0 eV (TiO1.99N0.01). FTIR spectra confirm the metal oxide bond formation, surface adsorption of water molecules and presence of residual hydroxyl group in all crystalline samples. HRTEM analysis validates the coexistence of secondary phase of TiO2–B along with anatase phase of TiO2 in studied highest doped sample (TiO1.95N0.05) including its broader particle size distribution as compared to pure TiO2. The electrical studies reveal that the highest values of dielectric constant and ac conductivity can be realized for pure TiO2 and at 1 mol% (x = 0.01) of nitrogen doping, among all the studied nitrogen doped samples.

Integrating machine learning with experimental investigation for optimizing photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B using neodymium-doped titanium dioxide: a comprehensive approach with toxicity assessment.

In this study, neodymium-doped titanium dioxide (Nd-TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized via a hydrothermal method for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under UV and sunlight conditions. The properties of these NPs were comprehensively characterized. And optimization of RhB degradation was conducted using control-variable experiment and artificial neural networks (ANN) under various operational conditions and in the presence of competing compounds. The acute toxicity of both NPs, RhB, and the environmental impact of the photocatalytic treatment effluent on Danio rerio were evaluated. The Nd modification increased the catalyst's specific surface area and thermal stability. X-ray diffraction confirmed the tetragonal anatase phase in undoped TiO2, while Nd-doped TiO2 exhibited shifts in peaks and the presence of brookite and rutile phases. Nd (1mol%) doped TiO2 demonstrated superior RhB photocatalytic degradation efficiency, achieving 95% degradation and 82% total organic carbon (TOC) removal within 60min under UV irradiation. Optimization under sunlight conditions yielded 95.14% RhB removal with 0.28g/L photocatalyst and 1% doping. Under UV light, 98.12% RhB removal was optimized with 0.97% doping, along with the presence of humic acid and CaCl2. ANN modeling achieved high precision (R2 of 0.99) in modeling environmental photocatalysis. Toxicity assessments indicated that the 96-h LC50 values were 681.59mg L-1 for both NPs, and 23.02mg L-1 for RhB. The treated dye solution exhibited a significant decline in toxicity, emphasizing the potential of 1% Nd-TiO2 in wastewater treatment.

The encapsulation of noble metal over metal oxide semiconductor TiO2@Ag for the degradation of sulphur dye in effluent water by photocatalysis and electrochemical water splitting

Metal Oxide Semiconductor - Metal core-shell nanostructure with TiO2 as core and Ag nanoparticles as shell (TiO2@Ag) have been synthesized by a simple, environmentally friendly room temperature wet chemical method. The prepared TiO2@Ag core-shell nanoparticle was characterized by using various analytic techniques. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the formation of tetragonal bcc structure anatase phase of TiO2 and Face-Centred Cubic structure (fcc) of silver in core-shell nanostructure. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) study proved the presence of characteristic peaks of both TiO2 and Ag. XPS study revealed the existence Ti4+ and metallic silver in core-shell nanostructure, High - Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR–TEM) and High - Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HR–SEM) revealed the covering of Ag nanoparticles at the surface of TiO2 spheres. The TiO2@Ag core-shell nanoparticles exhibit a high residual mass of 95.9 % and stability to withstand up to 1000 °C. The prepared TiO2@Ag core-shell nanoparticles as photocatalyst showed enhanced photocatalytic degradation (240 min) of sulphur dye in effluent water with a degradation efficiency of 81 % and capable of employing in wastewater treatment to eliminate toxic elements present in it. In the current study, we have used core-shell nanoparticles prepared using the wet chemical method at room temperature. The prepared core-shell nanoparticles were used to study the photocatalytic degradation of sulphur black dye directly collected from textile effluent water. They were also used for the production of oxygen and hydrogen through the electrolysis process. The synthesized TiO2@Ag core-shell nanoparticles act as effective electrocatalyst for the production of oxygen and hydrogen through oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using the electrolysis process.

Influence of Ag doping on structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of sol-gel spin-coated TiO2 thin films

Pure and Ag-doped Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films have been synthesized via the sol-gel spin coating method, and their structural, morphological, and optical properties have been investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis verifies that the polycrystalline anatase TiO2 phase is retained up to 2 % Ag doping. However, lattice expansion and grain refinement down to 25.345 nm are observed with increasing Ag content. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the formation of large, isolated TiO2 aggregates separated by drying-induced cracks across the film surface. Optical studies show the undoped TiO2 films demonstrate excellent visible transparency (>75 % transmittance) that slightly decreases upon Ag doping, though it remains suitably high for device applications. Meanwhile, optical absorption and defect states improve with more Ag incorporation, narrowing the TiO2 bandgap from 3.83 eV (undoped) to 3.51 eV (2 % Ag-doping) due to the incorporation of Ag-induced electronic states just below the conduction band minimum. The capability to control optical and structural properties through Ag doping highlights the potential of these TiO2 films suitably tailored for photovoltaic devices or self-cleaning coatings.

X-ray characterization, structural analysis, antibacterial activity, and self-cleaning property of Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite prepared by sonochemical process

TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposites with different copper (Cu) precursor loadings were prepared by a one-step sonochemical process. The mole ratio of Cu precursor in TiO2-SiO2 composite was varied at 0.004, 0.008, 0.020, and 0.040, respectively. The specific X-ray characterization techniques on crystalline structure, chemical composition, and chemical states of Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 composite were carried out by X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Surface morphology and chemical bonding of Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 composite were monitored by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). For antibacterial properties, the inhibition zone of antimicrobial activity was investigated by varying amounts of Cu precursors in the TiO2-SiO2 composite. After that, Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 composite powder with different Cu precursor ratios was mixed in PMMA solution and deposited on glass slides to study the optical property and hydrophilicity by UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer and contact angle method. XRD patterns of Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposites show the formation of the main TiO2 anatase phase with the ultrafine particles observed by FE-SEM images. FT-IR spectra of the composites are assigned to the prominent peaks of the Ti-O-Ti and Ti-O-Si bond relating to the TiO2-SiO2 host matrix. Meanwhile, TiO2-SiO2 composites with Cu precursor at 0.004 mol ratio can significantly enhance the antibacterial activity with a large inhibition zone. The contact angle value of Cu-doped TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite film at 0.040 Cu precursor mole ratio in the TiO2-SiO2 matrix resulted in the optimized composite ratio for achieving a hydrophilic surface on the substrate.

Synthesis process, thermal and electrical behaviors of Ti3C2Tx MXene

AbstractSynthesis of two‐dimensional (2D) titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx), with the name of MXene, by etching Ti3AlC2 (MAX) for different times 20 (v/v) % hydrofluoric acid (HF) at 40 °C was carried out. The influences of time, temperature and source of MAX on the synthesis of MXene were researched. The MXenes produced were characterized by fourier‐transform ınfrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy technique, energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetry (TG) instruments. Above 390 °C, MXene layers were considerably oxidizing and forming anatase and rutile phases of TiO2 under air atmosphere. The resistance of MAX and MXene was 3.6 Ω and 116 Ω, respectively. However, the resistance of the residual part of MXene heated to 620 °C considerably increased to 17850 Ω. This behavior is another important piece of evidence showing that the MXene crystal structure has changed significantly and transformed into a new chemical structure containing anatase and rutil titanium oxide (TiO2). The dielectric loss (ϵ’’) and alternating conductivity (δac) of the MAX and MXenes were determined from their impedance measurements. The ϵ’’ and δac values of MXene were compared with those of MAX. Direct curent conductivities of MAX and MXene produced for 24 h were found to be 0.016 S/cm and 0.0023 S/cm, respectively.

Synergistic effects of Co-Mn co-doping on the structural and optical properties of TiO2 nanospheres: Dual functions for DSSC photoanodes and degradation photocatalyst

Synthesizing direct solar irradiance-responsive nanomaterial capable of serving as an efficient photoanode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and active photocatalysts for organic pollutant elimination poses a formidable challenge. This study focused on the synthesis of cobalt and manganese co-doped titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles via sol-gel technique, enhancing their efficacy in both the DSSCs and methylene blue (MB) dye degradation. X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis confirm the existence of a tetragonal crystal structure with the anatase phase of TiO2, while XPS analysis verifies the successful integration of cobalt and manganese ions into the host lattices. BET analysis has confirmed that Co, Mn co-doped TiO2 exhibits a higher pore volume and specific surface area compared to the undoped TiO2 material. FESEM and HR-TEM reveals spherical shape morphology and EDS mapping confirms the purity of synthesized nanoparticles. Moreover, Co-Mn co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles exhibits a shift in the optical absorption edge towards the visible spectrum in UV-DRS analysis. PL analysis suggests a diminished electron-hole recombination within the doped and co-doped sample. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy demonstrates improved charge transfer properties. DSSCs employing the co-doped TiO2 exhibit significantly enhanced power conversion efficiency (4.99 %) compared to bare TiO2 (2.03 %), cobalt-doped (2.61 %), and manganese-doped TiO2 (3.97 %). Additionally, it demonstrates exceptional photocatalytic activity, with 87.83 % (Co-Mn co-doped TiO2) degradation efficiency with a lesser time extent for the methylene blue dye degradation. These findings underscore the potential of Co-Mn co-doped TiO2 for addressing dual challenges in renewable energy (DSSC) and environmental remediation (Pollutant removal).

Effects and optimization of hydrolysis conditions on the diameter distance ratio for metatitanic acid

Controlling and predicting the narrow particle size distribution of metatitanic acid could help to improve pigment and application performances of TiO2. To prepare metatitanic acid with narrow particle size distribution, the hydrolysis conditions of industrial TiOSO4 solution were optimized by using the response surface methodology of Box-Behnken design method. The effects of hydrolysis conditions such as TiO2 concentration, aging time and hydrolysis time on the diameter distance ratio and structure of metatitanic acid were investigated. The prediction model including the hydrolysis variables with good fitting result was established to predict the diameter distance ratio or optimize the hydrolysis variable values. The regression equation model was significant and reliable with actual correlation coefficient R2 of 0.9989. The hydrolysis conditions greatly influenced the quality and quantity of hydrolysis induced crystal nucleus, hydrolysis rate, completeness degree of hydrolysis, crystallization growth and aggregation rate, and eventually affected the particle size distribution of metatitanic acid. The synergistic interaction for TiO2 concentration and hydrolysis time was very significant. The verification experiments confirmed that the diameter distance ratio could reach the average value of 1.100 under the optimal conditions. The prepared metatitanic acid had anatase TiO2 phase structure, with average particle size of 1.621–1.819 µm. And this helped to improve the high quality and green development of the titanium dioxide industry.

Efficacy of mesoporous TiO2–ZrO2@g-C3N4 produced using a simple ultrasonic approach for copper ion removal from wastewater

The present study describes ultrasonically produced ternary composite material composed of carbon nitride nanosheets, zirconium, and titanium oxides for elimination of copper ions. The formation of monoclinic ZrO2, anatase TiO2, and g-C3N4 phases with respective crystallite sizes 6, 11, 13 nm were verified by the X-ray diffraction technique. The dispersion of the metal oxides nanoparticles with the graphitic nanosheets, the elemental composition of Zr, Ti, O, C and N, and the characteristic functional groups were verified respectively by TEM, EDX, and FTIR analysis that confirmed the successful formation and composition of the nanocomposite TiO2–ZrO2@g-C3N4 (TZCN). The good porosity of the composite that show a surface area, pore volume, and pore diameter values of 47.42 m2/g, 0.056 cm3 g−1, and 20.3 Å that nominate it for adsorption application. The adsorption capabilities of the nanocomposite were studied for copper ion removal from an aqueous solution, as well as the impacts of pH and starting Cu2+ concentration. The results show that the adsorption process is pH and starting concentration-dependent, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 447.8 mg/g. The Cu2+ adsorption is a monolayer chemisorption process that is well described by the Langmuir adsorption model and follows pseudo-second-order kinetics. Moreover, a plausible mechanism for Cu2+ ion adsorption on the surface of TZCN nanocomposite particles is proposed.

Effect of Titanium Dioxide Particles on the Thermal Stability of Silica Aerogels.

Silica aerogels exhibit a unique nanostructure with low thermal conductivity and low density, making them attractive materials for thermal isolation under extreme conditions. The TiO2 particle is one of the common industrial additives used to reduce the thermal radiation of aerogel composites under high-temperature environments, but its influence on thermal resistance is almost unknown. Herein, we report the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles with different crystal phases and different sizes on the thermal stability of silica aerogel composites. By adding TiO2 nanoparticles, the aerogel can significantly resist collapse at high temperatures (up to 1000 °C). And compared with the rutile phase TiO2, the anatase phase TiO2 shows much higher temperature resistance performance, with shrinkage of only one-sixth of the rutile phase after 800 °C treatment. Interestingly, energy-dispersive spectrometer mapping results show that after 800 °C treatment, silica nanoparticles (NPs) are squeezed out in between anatase TiO2 particles, which resists the coarsening of silica NPs and ultimately enhances the stability of aerogel composites. The optimal anatase phase TiO2-doped silica aerogel demonstrates the integrated properties of crack-free morphology (2.84% shrinkage), low thermal conductivity (29.30 mW/(m·K)) and low density (149.4 mg/cm3) after 800 °C treatment. This study may provide new insights for developing oxide-doped silica aerogels with both high-temperature resistance and low thermal radiation.

Magnetic-resistive random access memories based on diluted Co-TiO2 nanotubes

In this work, we conducted a study of TiO2 and TiO2:Co nanotubes obtained through the electrochemical anodization of Ti and Ti/Co foils. The presence of the anatase phase and amorphous TiO2 was identified and characterized via XRD and FT-IR measurements. It was possible to establish the formation of oxide-diluted magnetic semiconductors without cobalt binary phases. The morphological properties evidenced the formation of nanotubes with an average size of 163.5 ± 10.12 nm. I–V curves presented SET and RESET processes for sweep cycles, indicating switching properties of the nanotubes. The HRS and LRS were identified as a function of the number of cycles by the determined endurance in the nanotubes. The presence of Co ions in the TiO2 nanotubes contributed to the magnetic dipole moments and the observation of ferromagnetic-like behavior.

Preparation of Oil Palm Leaves Ash-Supported Titania for the Elimination of Safranin-O Dye in Water

ABSTACT. The objective of this study was to develop an approach for incorporating titanium oxide or titania into oil palm leaves ash (OPLA) using a simple procedure. The study process comprised the mixing of oil palm leaves (OPL) powder and titanium tetraisopropoxide in chloroform solvent, followed by the elimination of the solvent to obtain a solid residue. Subsequently, the residue obtained was calcined at 500 °C for 5 hours, leading to the production of a yellow-light powder. The results of product characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy analysis showed the presence of titanium oxide in OPLA. In addition, the wide diffractogram detected in XRD analysis revealed the presence of a silica peak. The un-sharp peaks in the regions of 25.6°, 38.2°, 47.9°, 54.5°, and 62.9° showed that the TiO2 particles were pure anatase, and no peaks of other TiO2-anatase phases were detected. Analysis using SEM showed that the surface of the material obtained was irregular and tended to have a hollow shape, while energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed a SiO2 content of approximately 73%. However, the titanium element or titania was not detected possibly due to its small concentration. The material obtained also had a good catalytic activity for safranin-O dye elimination under sunlight irradiation, which served as the activation energy source. Based on these findings, the use of OPLA (a side product of oil palm plantations) could be evaluated economically due to its effective role in the catalytic process despite the addition of a small amount of titania catalyst. Keywords: Oil palm leaves ash, titania, safranin-O, sunlight irradiation.

“Enhancing wastewater treatment: DFT and experimental insights into ZnO-implanted TiO2 Z-scheme photocatalyst mediated via Smilax aspera"

This comprehensive study aimed to optimize the performance of photogenerated carriers in catalytic and optoelectronic systems by effectively separating electron-hole pairs. Green-synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles (average size ∼21 nm) and zinc acetate (99.5 % purity), augmented with eco-friendly integration of the plant Smilax aspera, resulted in a tailored hollow direct Z-scheme photocatalyst, ZnO–TiO₂, with adjustable ZnO loading ranging from 0.5 wt% to 5 wt%. Characterization techniques such as X-ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Thermogravimetric Analysis and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy provided detailed insights into the atomic and electronic properties of the material. The analysis revealed the coexistence of anatase TiO₂ and wurtzite ZnO phases, each exhibiting distinct electronic band structures within the composite. Density functional theory calculated band gap values of 2.02 eV for TiO₂ and 2.89 eV for ZnO–TiO₂ corroborated the experimental results, offering a deeper understanding of electronic transitions within the heterojunction. The ZnO–TiO₂ composite showed significant photocatalytic efficacy in degrading Methylene Blue (98 % in 15 min) and Rose Bengal (79.69 % in 40 min) under UV light. It also exhibited antifungal potential against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans, with inhibition zones of 28.0 ± 0.12 mm and 30.23 ± 0.68 mm, respectively. This research provides valuable insights into the eco-friendly, multifunctional applications of the ZnO–TiO₂ Z-scheme photocatalyst. This research thus provides valuable insights into the multifaceted applications of this synergistic, eco-friendly heterojunction photocatalyst in environmental remediation and its role as an effective antifungal agent.