title: Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using Potassium Polytitanate and Solar Simulator.
abstract: Solar photocatalytic degradation of organic water pollutants can be used to degrade toxic organic pollutants in water. In this study, potassium titanate nanofibres were synthesized by an aqueous peroxide route at high pH and examined as photocatalysts for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using a solar simulator. Initially, MB was adsorbed on the surface of potassium polytitanates to achieve adsorption equilibrium before the photocatalysts were illuminated using solar simulator. The results showed that potassium polytitanate nanofibres were effective adsorbents of MB and also facilitated its photocatalytic degradation. Sulphate ion evolution during photocatalysis confirmed that some mineralisation occurred and hence photo-oxidative degradation of MB took place. The optimum operational conditions for the photocatalytic degradation of MB were found at 0.05 g/L of photocatalyst load, 10 mg/L MB and pH 7. The stability and regeneration of the photocatalyst specimen was also studied for 3 degradation cycles using adsorption/photocatalysis model. Morphological structure analysis of potassium titanate showed nanocrystallines structure of longitudinally-oriented isolated fibre with a length up to several micrometres with diameters ranging from 10 to 20 nanometres.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahid
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: El Saliby
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDonagh
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chekli
authors.forename: Leonard D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Tijing
authors.forename: Jong-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ho Kyong
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shon
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption / Q000528:radiation effects; D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000528:radiation effects; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012993:Solar Energy; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C009934:potassium titanate; D014025:Titanium; D008751:Methylene Blue