Modified microwave method for the synthesis of visible light-responsive TiO2/MWCNTs nanocatalysts

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 346
• Main Authors: Alosfur, Firas K Mohamad, Jumali, Mohammad Hafizuddin Haji, Radiman, Shahidan, Ridha, Noor J, Yarmo, Mohd Ambar, Umar, Akrajas Ali
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer New York 06.08.2013; Springer Nature B.V; Springer
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Materials Science; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Hybrid nanocatalysts; Microwave; Photocatalytic; MWCNTs; TiO
• ISSN: 1931-7573; 1556-276X; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/1556-276X-8-346

Recently, TiO 2 /multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) hybrid nanocatalysts have been a subject of high interest due to their excellent structures, large surface areas and peculiar optical properties, which enhance their photocatalytic performance. In this work, a modified microwave technique was used to rapidly synthesise a TiO 2 /MWCNT nanocatalyst with a large surface area. X-ray powder diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements were used to characterise the structure, morphology and the surface area of the sample. The photocatalytic activity of the hybrid nanocatalysts was evaluated through a comparison of the degradation of methylene blue dye under irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light. The results showed that the TiO 2 /MWCNT hybrid nanocatalysts degraded 34.9% of the methylene blue (MB) under irradiation with ultraviolet light, whereas 96.3% of the MB was degraded under irradiation with visible light.