title: Sonocatalytic removal of an organic dye using TiO2/Montmorillonite nanocomposite.
abstract: The sonocatalytic performance of the synthesized TiO2/Montmorillonite K10 (TiO2/MMT) nanocomposite was studied in removal of Basic Blue 3 (BB3) from water. The TiO2/MMT nanocomposite was prepared by hydrothermal method. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared were used to characterize the synthesized nanocomposite. The average size of TiO2 nanoparticles decreased from 60-80nm to 40-60nm through the immobilization of this semiconductor on the surface of MMT. The obtained results indicated that the sonocatalytic activity of TiO2/MMT nanocomposite was higher than that of pure TiO2 nanoparticles and MMT particles. Furthermore, the main influence factors on the sonocatalytic activity such as the BB3 concentration, pH of solution, TiO2/MMT dose, power of ultrasonic generator, and inorganic salts were studied. The intermediates of BB3 degradation during the sonocatalytic process in the presence of the TiO2/MMT nanocomposite have been monitored by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
authors: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-14766 Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: a_khataee@tabrizu.ac.ir.
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Khataee
authors: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-14766 Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mohsen
authors: M
authors: Sheydaei
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey; Photochemical Nanosciences Laboratory, Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, Via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors: Aydin
authors: A
authors: Hassani
authors: Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-14766 Tabriz, Iran.
authors: Mojtaba
authors: M
authors: Taseidifar
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Atatürk University, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey. Electronic address: skaraca@atauni.edu.tr.
authors: Semra
authors: S
authors: Karaca
keywords: Cationic dyes; Modified nanoclay; Sonocatalytic degradation; Sonolysis; Wastewater treatment