title: Synergistic effect of pH and phase in a nanocrystalline titania photocatalyst.
abstract: Titanium dioxide is a semiconducting material that has been studied for many years as a photocatalytic material to degrade organics in water. This study investigated the effect of anatase-rutile mixtures and pH on the photocatalytic degradation of the dye Methylene blue as the target analyte. Anatase-rutile mixtures between 0 and 90% rutile that were synthesized from a water-soluble precursor were suspended at pH 4, 7, and 10. Suspension pH significantly affected the reactivity and efficiency of the photocatalysts because of the particle-particle and sorbate-surface interactions. The highest removal percentage of MB by 240 min at pH 4, 7, and 10 was 35, 99, and 93%, respectively. pH 7 was ideal to observe the affect of percent rutile on the degradation rate, where 91% was removed within 120 min by the material composed of 20% rutile, which is attributed to the synergistic charge transfer of holes from rutile to anatase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States.
authors.forename: Nichola M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kinsinger
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dudchenko
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kisailus
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium; D008751:Methylene Blue