Photoactive transparent nano-crystalline glass-ceramic for remazole red dye degradation

Transparent glass ceramic material was prepared from alkali-borosilicate glass containing titania by proper heat treatment scheme. The prepared samples were characterized using differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, selected area electron diffraction and UV–visible spectroscopy. The applied heat treatment program allowed the crystallization of nano-crystalline anatase, rutile, barium titanate, titanium borate and silicate phases while maintaining the transparency. The precipitated nano-crystalline anatase and rutile phases were responsible for the observed high photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples. Samples of 24.29 and 32.39 TiO2 wt% showed better efficiency for the decolorization of remazole red dye compared with commercial-TiO2 used in preparation of glass-ceramic. The reuse of prepared glass-ceramic photocatalyst with nearly same efficiency for different times was also proved.

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► Preparation and characterization of novel transparent nanocrystalline glass-ceramic.
► Precipitation of photoactive phases by using controlled heat-treatment.
► Conservation of transparency along with photoactivity.
► Using the prepared nanocrystalline glass-ceramic in water purification.