Preparation and characterization of nano-silver/mesoporous titania photocatalysts for herbicide degradation

Hydrothermally synthesized mesoporous titania containing silver; at weight percentages ratio of 1.6 and 3.2, nanoparticles either assembled by polyoxyethylene laurel ether (POL) or sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) were characterized with XRD, N2 sorptiometry, DRUV–vis, FTIR and TEM. The photocatalytic performance of the catalysts was tested for the oxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D; herbicide); through comparison with P25, under visible (λ > 420 nm) and UV light irradiation. Our results show that TEM measurements evince that dispersed Ag nanoparticles with diameter of 7 and 5 nm are deposited on titania surfaces synthesized using POL and SDS, respectively. XRD and N2 sorptiometry measurements advocate that Ag atoms were present inside titania pores; as confirmed from decreasing both surface area and pore volume values, as well as attending on titania surfaces upon increasing Ag content prohibiting the growth of anatase phase. The UV–vis absorbance spectra indicated that Ag nanoparticles can shift the absorption maximum to the visible light region as confirmed by the presence of surface plasmon bands at 634 and 700 nm. The apparent rate constants calculated under visible-light illumination for all catalysts were 0.0335 and 0.0289 min−1; for 1.6 wt.% and 3.2 wt.% Ag/TiO2 templated from POL, as well as 0.0263 and 0.0251 min−1; for 1.6 wt.% and 3.2 wt.% Ag/TiO2 templated from SDS. The direct involvement of the Ag particles in mediating the electron transfer from the photoexcited TiO2 under band gap excitation is considered to carry out the efficient photo-catalytic oxidation of the 2,4-D besides, the higher efficiency of generation, mobility, and separation of photoinduced electrons and holes.

Ag/TiO2 photocatalysts synthesized by PELE showed superior activities toward herbicide degradation than those derived from SDS due to increasing crystallinity and surface properties of former samples comparatively.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights
► Synthesizing mesoporous titania photocatalysts using template self assembly method.
► Silver nanoparticles either attending on the titania surfaces or inside it.
► They show enhanced optical and photoresponse properties.
► They show high activities towards herbicide degradation either under visible or UV irradiations.