title: Cu-TiO2 nanorods with enhanced ultraviolet- and visible-light photoactivity for bisphenol A degradation.
abstract: In this study, the microwave-assisted sol-gel method and chemical reduction were used to synthesize Cu-TiO2 nanorod composites for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) in the presence of UV and visible lights. The electron microscopic images showed that the Cu nanoparticles at 4.5±0.1nm were well-deposited onto the surface of TiO2 nanorods after chemical reduction of Cu ions by NaBH4. The X-ray diffractometry patterns and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic results indicated that Cu species on the Cu-TiO2 nanorods were mainly the mixture of Cu2O and Cu(0). The Cu-TiO2 nanorods showed excellent photocatalytic activity toward BPA photodegradation under the irradiation of UV and visible lights. The pseudo-first-order rate constant (kobs) for BPA photodegradation by 7wt% Cu-TiO2 nanorods were 18.4 and 3.8 times higher than those of as-synthesized TiO2 nanorods and Degussa P25 TiO2, respectively, under the UV light irradiation. In addition, the kobs for BPA photodegradation by 7wt% Cu-TiO2 nanorods increased by a factor of 5.8 when compared with that of Degussa P25 TiO2 under the irradiation of 460±40nm visible light. Results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate the feasibility of using one-dimensional Cu-TiO2 nanorods for photocatalytic degradation of BPA and other pharmaceutical and personal care products in water and wastewater treatment plants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing-Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing-Hua University, 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan. Electronic address: radoong@mx.nthu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ruey-An
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Doong
mesh_terms: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D002384:Catalysis; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D010782:Photolysis; D013499:Surface Properties; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
chemical_list: D001559:Benzhydryl Compounds; D003300:Copper; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D010636:Phenols; D014025:Titanium; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009495:titanium dioxide; C006780:bisphenol A; D000098826:Bisphenol A Compounds
keywords: Bisphenol A; Copper ions; Microwave-assisted; Sol–gel; TiO(2) nanorods; Visible-light-driven photodegradation