Photocatalytic Degradation of Dyes Using Carbon Nanotube and Titania Nanoparticle

In this paper, carbon nanotube (CNT) and titania nanoparticle (n-TiO2) were used to degrade dyes using single (UV/CNT/H2O2 and UV/n-TiO2/H2O2) and binary catalyst (UV/CNT/n-TiO2 and UV/CNT/n-TiO2/H2O2) systems. Direct Red 23 and Direct Red 31 were used as model dyes. The surface characteristics of CNT were investigated using Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy. Photocatalytic dye degradation was studied using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and ion chromatography. The effects of initial dye concentration and salt on dye degradation were investigated. Formate, acetate and oxalate were detected as dominant aliphatic intermediates. Nitrate and sulfate were detected as dye mineralization products. The results indicated that the UV/CNT/n-TiO2/H2O2 could be used as an eco-friendly process to degrade dyes.