Effect of doping Fe/Cu/Ti on WO₃ on furfural degradation

Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn University, Nakhon Pathom, 73000

^* Corresponding author: Termtanun_m@su.ac.th

Abstract

This research improved tungsten oxide catalysts to increase efficiency in photocatalytic degradation of furfural under visible light. The aim of this research was to compare the efficiency of modified tungsten oxide with undoped and commercial tungsten oxide. Tungsten oxide nanoparticles were doped with 3 single metals, which were Fe/Cu/Ti at 1%wt, 2%wt, and 3%wt, synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis technique (FSP) and then characterization by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption/desorption (BET surface area analysis), UV-Vis Spectroscopy (UV-Vis). Photocatalytic degradation experiments using doped WO₃ were carried out with 5 ppm initial concentration of furfural solution using 0.6 M catalyst concentration under visible light. From the results, FSP-synthesized WO₃ has better efficiency in furfural degradation than the commercial WO₃. All catalysts have mesoporous structure because an average pore size is in the range of 6-10 nm. Among all synthesized and doped WO₃, it can be concluded that 3%wt Fe-doped tungsten oxide provides the highest acceleration rate in photocatalytic degradation of furfural.