Urea-assisted synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 photocatalysts for the efficient removal of clofibric acid from water

Abstract

Mesoporous TiO2 photocatalysts intended for the advanced removal of clofibric acid (CA) from water were synthesized by the sol-gel method in a medium containing cetyl-trimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) and urea, using either ethanol or isopropanol to dilute the TiO2 precursor. The activation of the samples was undertaken at 550, 650 and 750◦ C. The XRD revealed that the nature of the solvent resulted in significant differences in the anatase-to-rutile ratios obtained at different temperatures. The specific surface area values were situated between 9 and 43 m2·g−1 and the band gap values were similar for all the samples. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples was examined for the degradation of CA, an emergent water contaminant. The photocatalytic tests performed under UV-A irradiation revealed that the photo-reactivity of these materials depends on the calcination temperature. The best results were obtained for the samples calcined at 750◦ C, which showed high yields of CA elimination, as well as almost complete mineralization (over 95%) after 180 min of reaction. Good results in terms of catalyst reusability in the reaction were found for the catalyst showing the highest photo-reactivity. Therefore, the samples can be considered good candidates for future water remediation applications.