Title
Synthesis, Characterization and Photocatalytic Behavior of SiO2@nitrized-TiO2 Nanocomposites Obtained by a Straightforward Novel Approach
Author
Antonino Gulino, Georgia Papanikolaou, Paola Lnazafame, Abdekkatif Aaliti, Patrizia Primerano, Luca Spitaleri, Claudia Triolo, Zainab Dahrouch, Amani Khaskhoussi, Sandra Lo Schiave
Year
2021
Journal
ChemistryOpen
Abstract
We report on the facile synthesis of SiO2@nitrized-TiO2 nanocomposite (NST) by calcination of TiO2 xerogel with OctaAmmonium POSS® (N-POSS; POSS=polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes). The as-obtained nanoporous mixed oxide is constituted by uniformly distributed SiO2 and nitrized-TiO2, where the silica component is present in an amorphous state and TiO2 in an anatase/rutile mixed phase (92.1 % vs. 7.9 %, respectively) with very small anatase crystallites (3.7 nm). The TiO2 lattice is nitrized both at interstitial and substitutional positions. NST features a negatively charged surface with a remarkable surface area (406 m2 g−1), endowed with special adsorption capabilities towards cationic dyes. Its photocatalytic behavior was tested by following the degradation of standard aqueous methylene blue and methyl orange solutions under UV and visible light irradiation, according to ISO 10678:2010. For comparison, analogous investigations were carried out on a silica-free N−TiO2, obtained by using NH4Cl as nitrogen source.
Instrument
FT/IR-430
Keywords
TiO2, amorphous sate, ISO 10678:2010