Synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic studies of titanium dioxide, TiO2 prepared via microemulsion method for decomposition of atrazine

Abstract

Currently, TiO2 has attracted a great important deal as photocatalyst due to its unique properties. Due to this novelty, TiO2 photocatalyst have been synthesis via microemulsion approach and Hexatrimethyl Ammonium Bromide, HTAB was selected as their surfactant in this study. Four parameters have been studied in this research work namely calcination temperatures, concentration of HTAB, stirring time and pH. Meanwhile, the synthesised TiO2 photocatalyst have been characterised by using SEM, XRD and BET surface area analyser. The morphological analysis shows all the samples exhibited in particles form and spherical morphology. While, for XRD diffractogram patterns showed all the expected characteristic peaks at 25.3, 37.8, 48.1,53.9 and 55.1 two-theta degree, which corresponding to the Miller index (1 0 1), (1 0 4), (2 0 0), (1 0 5) and (2 1 1) respectively. It showed the domination of anatase phase in the synthesised TiO2 photocatalyst which was proven as potential phase to enhance the photocatalytic activity. Obviously, the comparison of the XRD diffractograms showed significant changes in term of shape and broader peaks were observed among several studied parameters. Meanwhile, surface area analysis showed parallel results with XRD and SEM. At the end of research work, optimise TiO2 photocatalyst was successfully synthesised by calcined at 570°C, 0.5 M HTAB, stirred for 4 hours at pH 9. Synthesised TiO2 photocatalysts were used to decompose pesticide, 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6 (isopropylamino)-S-triazine or widely known as atrazine. As a result, 80% degradation was recorded which indicates synthesised TiO2 can be used as ideal photocatalyst to degrade pesticide in the environment in order to keep healthy.