Porous ceramic supported TiO2 nanoparticles: Enhanced photocatalytic activity for Rhodamine B degradation

Photocatalytic processes are an efficient and important technique to mineralize organic contaminants in aqueous effluents. However, it is paramount that there is a way to recover the catalyst after degradation. Based on this problem, this research seeks to evaluate the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 under porous ceramics support for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). TiO2 was synthesized by sol-gel, dried at 100 degrees C and calcined at 400 degrees C. The morphological, optical and structural proprieties of the particles were characterized. The XRD patterns of samples calcined at 400 degrees C showed only the anatase phase, confirmed by Raman. Not heat-treated xerogel was amorphous. The agglomerates are composed of fine particles, in the nanometric scale of 15 nm. The bandgap of the powder is 3.21 eV, and the surface area is 60.1 m(2) g(-1). To evaluate its photocatalytic activity, the anatase TiO2 was supported in a porous ceramic substrate by a dip-coating process. The heterogeneous photocatalysis showed excellent results, with the degradation of up to 83% of RhB. It was possible obtained with successful an efficient technique for the treatment of wastewater with Anatase nanoparticles supported in the ceramic support obtained from of reuse of the residues. (C) 2019 SECV. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.