Synthesis and characterization of TiO2/C nanomaterials: Applications in water treatment

The TiO2 deposition on high surface possessing supports can increase the photocatalytic efficiency of a semiconductor, as already shown in the literature because, the high adsorption capacity of the support can help to enrich the organic substrate around the catalyst promoting the charge-transfer process between the pollutants and the photocatalysts. Consequently, in this study, we investigated the synthesis of composite photocatalytic materials based on TiO2 and different types of carbon. Titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) was used as the precursor, while graphite, activated carbon and carbon aerogels were chosen as carbon supports. An optimization of the synthesis method was proposed by varying the molar ratio titanium/carbon (Ti/C). The obtained materials were characterized by XRD, TEM, and UV–Vis DRS. The specific surface area, pore volume, and pore-size distribution were evaluated by nitrogen adsorption/desorption. The photocatalytic activity was investigated by the photodegradation of diuron.