TiO 2 –Graphene Oxide and TiO 2 –Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Thin Films for Solar Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment

Ioana Tismanar, Alexandru Cosmin Obreja, Octavian Buiu and Anca Duta ()
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Ioana Tismanar: R&D Center Renewable Energy System and Recycling, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Alexandru Cosmin Obreja: National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies, IMT-Bucharest, 077190 Ilfov, Romania
Octavian Buiu: National Institute for Research and Development in Microtechnologies, IMT-Bucharest, 077190 Ilfov, Romania
Anca Duta: R&D Center Renewable Energy System and Recycling, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: This research reports on Vis- and solar-active photocatalytic bi-layered films of TiO 2 (layer 1) and a composite with TiO 2 matrix and graphene oxide or reduced graphene oxide filler (layer 2) obtained by coupling two methods: spray pyrolysis deposition followed by spraying a diluted sol. The thin films crystallinity degree, surface morphology and elemental composition were recorded and the composites were tested in photo-degradation processes, using the standard 10 ppm methylene blue solution, under simulated UV + VIS irradiation conditions using an irradiance measured to be close to the natural one, in continuous flow process, at demonstrator scale; these results were compared with those recorded when using low irradiance values in static regime. The effect of the increase in the graphene oxide content was investigated in the concentration range 1.4% w ...10% w and was found to increase the process efficiency. However, the photocatalytic efficiencies increased only by 15% at high irradiance values compared with the values recorded at low irradiance as result of the electron-hole recombination in the composite-thin film. Similar experiments were run using composites having reduced graphene oxide as filler. The interfaces developed between the matrix and the filler were discussed outlining the influence of the filler’s polarity. The thin films stability in aqueous medium was good, confirmed by the results that outlined no significant differences in the surface aspect after three successive photocatalytic cycles.

Keywords: TiO 2 -(r)GO composite photocatalyst; TiO 2 -(r)GO stability; thin film photocatalysts; VIS-active photocatalyst; continuous flow photocatalytic processes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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