Copper modified TiO₂ catalysts: application to nitrobenzenes degradation

Energy Saving & Environmental Protection & Occupational Safety and Health Research, China Academy of Railway Sciences, 100081, China

^* Corresponding author: scy2918@163.com

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 Cu_xTi_(1-x)O₂ followed first order kinetics. Synthetically, SEM, ESD and performances of NBs degradation confirmed that the optimal formula of Cu_xTi_(1-x)O₂ for degradation of NBs was Cu_0.0183Ti_0.9817O₂.