Favorable recycling photocatalyst TiO2/CFA: Effects of loading method on the structural property and photocatalytic activity

In order to more easily separate TiO2 photocatalyst from the treated wastewater, TiO2 was immobilized on the surface of coal fly ash by employing three kinds of approaches, sol–gel procedure, ambient hydrolysis procedure and hybrid slurry procedure. The effects of loading method on the structural property of TiO2-coated coal fly ash (TiO2/CFA), such as morphology, crystal structure, porous property and ultraviolet-visible absorption were investigated, and the photocatalytic activity of TiO2/CFA was evaluated by the photocatalytic depigmentation and mineralization of methyl orange solution. The results show that TiO2/CFA particles are easy to precipitate and recover from water. The hybrid slurry procedure is a more proper method to immobilize TiO2 on coal fly ash than the other two procedures because the TiO2/CFA sample prepared by hybrid slurry procedure exhibits higher photocatalytic activity and better repeatability.

In order to more easily separate TiO2 photocatalyst from the treated wastewater, TiO2 was immobilized on the surface of coal fly ash (CFA) by employing a new and simple method, hybrid slurry procedure. The surface of TiO2 layer covered on CFA is very rough. Furthermore, it is interesting that a three-dimensional network structure appears in the TiO2-coated CFA.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide