Web Release Date: February 5,
Impact of Heat Treatment and Composition of ZnO-TiO2 Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Oxidation of an Azo Dye
and
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, 321 A.P. Black Hall, P.O. Box 116450, Gainesville, Florida 32611-6450, and Central Metallurgical Research and Development Institute (CMRDI), P.O. Box 87, Helwan 11421, Cairo, Egypt
Received for review September 17, 2007
Revised manuscript received November 21, 2007
Accepted November 30, 2007
Abstract:
TiO2-ZnO mixed oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation of zinc nitrate and titanium tetrachloride
as precursors and then heat treated using two techniques: hydrothermal and calcination. The particles were
characterized using XRD, BET, UV diffuse reflectance, and 
potential techniques. Additionally, the particles
were tested for their ability to induce the photocatalytic oxidation and adsorption of Procion Red MX-5B
dye. The highest photocatalytic oxidation was observed for nanoparticulate mixed oxides that were near 100%
ZnO or TiO2. These materials did not have the highest specific surface areas, yet it is believed that their
near-neutral potentials and ideal band gap energies contributed to their higher photocatalytic activities.
XRD patterns indicated that sintering and increased crystallinity occurred for the calcined TiO2 samples.
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