A simple route for the preparation of anatase titania-coated magnetic porous carbons with enhanced photocatalytic activity

A method is described for the production of a magnetically separable photocatalyst, which consists of porous activated carbon, iron oxide particles and anatase titania particles. The prepared samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM and vibrating sample magnetometry. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was determined by degrading model contaminated water, a phenol aqueous solution. The results were compared with a commercial titania, Degussa P25, and enhanced photocatalytic activities were obtained with all the samples prepared here. An additional advantage of these composite photocatalyst is their recyclability, because it can be easily magnetically separated by an external magnetic field. The degradation rate of phenol by a titania-coated magnetic activated carbon with an Fe content of 20% and a calcination temperature for the support of 450 degrees C, was still higher than 85% after the photocatalyst was used for 5 cycles. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.