title: Characteristics of supported nano-TiO2/ZSM-5/silica gel (SNTZS): photocatalytic degradation of phenol.
abstract: Photocatalytic degradation of phenol was investigated using the supported nano-TiO(2)/ZSM-5/silica gel (SNTZS) as a photocatalyst in a batch reactor. The prepared photocatalyst was characterized using XRD, TEM, FT-IR and BET surface area analysis. The synthesized photocatalyst composition was developed using nano-TiO(2) as the photoactive component and zeolite (ZSM-5) as the adsorbents, all supported on silica gel using colloidal silica gel binder. The optimum formulation of SNTZS catalyst was observed to be (nano-TiO(2):ZSM-5:silica gel:colloidal silica gel=1:0.6:0.6:1) which giving about 90% degradation of 50mg/L phenol solution in 180 min. The SNTZS exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than that of the commercial Degussa P25 which only gave 67% degradation. Its high photocatalytic activity was due to its large specific surface area (275.7 m(2)/g), small particle size (8.1 nm), high crystalline quality of the synthesized catalyst and low electron-hole pairs recombination rate as ZSM-5 adsorbent was used. The SNTZS photocatalyst synthesized in this study also has been proven to have an excellent adhesion and reusability.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Seri Ampangan, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Fauziah
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Zainudin
authors.forename: Ahmad Zuhairi
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Abdul Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mohamed
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D019800:Phenol / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: C009495:titanium dioxide; D019800:Phenol; D058428:Silica Gel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium