• Bouna, L.
• Lafont, M. -C.
• Rhouta, Benaissa
• Jada, A.
• Senocq, F.
• Maury, F.

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>/stevensite nanocomposite photocatalysts were synthesized by a solvothermal method using TiCl3/HCl as reactants and the stevensite clay mineral extract as support. The prepared photocatalyst samples were then characterized using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Points of Zero Charge (PZC) of the various samples were evaluated by titration of the non-modified and the Ti-modified clay aqueous dispersions, with cationic surfactant solutions. The photocatalytic activity of the resulting nanocomposites samples were evaluated for the removal of Orange G (OG) from aqueous solution as a model dye pollutant. The data indicate that the formation of Na<jats:sup>+</jats:sup>-stevensite by the TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> particles leads to TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>/stevensite nanocomposites having higher specific surface areas and mesopore volumes, and lower PZC values. Further, the photocatalytic activity was greater for the TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>/stevensite nanocomposites having the greatest Ti amount, as compared to a pure TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> sample, and increased with the increase of the TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> content in the TiO<jats:sup>2</jats:sup>/stevensite nanocomposites.</jats:p>

Topics

• nanocomposite
• mineral
• dispersion
• surface
• x-ray diffraction
• transmission electron microscopy
• surfactant
• infrared spectroscopy
• titration