Copper modified TiO2 catalysts: Application to nitrobenzenes degradation

Abstract

Copper doped TiO2 by the method of sol-gel preparation was conducted to stimulate the TiO2 visible light response and enhance the performance of photocatalytic degradation. By XRD, SEM and EDS analysis, molar ratio of 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 1.0% Cu doped TiO2 presented smaller grain sizes (20-50 nm) than German P25 TiO2 (50-100 nm). Especially, 1.5% Cu doped TiO2 presented the highest and finest degree of crystallinity from XRD peak. Its reunion phenomenon was the weakest among all Cu doped TiO2. Combined with Cu doping structure, micro stress changes as well as the performance of the degradation of nitrobenzenes (NBs), the optimum mol ratio of Cu doped TiO2 was 1.5%. With 1.5% Cu doped TiO2 for 180 min UV light degradation of NBs, the removal efficiency was 60.02%, two times higher than that of Germany P25 TiO2. The reaction of NBs photocatalytic degradation by CuxTi(1-x)O2 followed first order kinetics. Synthetically, SEM, ESD and performances of NBs degradation confirmed that the optimal formula of CuxTi(1-x)O2 for degradation of NBs was Cu0.0183Ti0.9817O2.