Novel biomass-derived hybrid TiO2/carbon material using tar-derived secondary char to improve TiO2 bonding to carbon matrix

The present paper reports, on an innovative and simple route for the preparation of new hybrid materials based on TiO2 and carbonaceous supports with relatively high biochar content prepared via controlled laboratory batch pyrolysis system. Pine tar was used as a precursor for secondary char (confirmed by TGA) serving as a coating and connecting material between commercially available Degussa P25 TiO2 and biomass derived porous carbon support (biochar) produced from softwood or Lignin. The prepared hybrid materials were characterized by a series of physico-chemical characterization techniques such as XRD, XPS, TGA, UV-vis, XRP, SEM, COD and BET analysis. The results confirmed that the method used is viable and can be used to embed TiO2 in the structure of biochar. In aqueous phase phenol degradation, the TiO2/(secondary char-coated biochar) hybrid materials proved photocatalitically active, and especially the TiO2/secondary char-coated SWP700) showed better photocatalytic performance than the commercial TiO2 counterpart.