PROJECT TITLE :

Preparation and photocatalytic properties of a visible light responsive and magnetically separated photocatalyst of γ-Fe2O3/SiO2/GSs/TiO2

ABSTRACT:

A graphene sheet (GS) synthetised from natural graphite powder was doped in titanium dioxide (TiO2) through the sol–gel methodology to boost the photocatalytic activity and magnetic γ-Fe2O3/SiO2 particles were added subsequently to enhance recycling and scale back the waste of the catalyst. The morphology, microstructure, absorption spectrum and magnetic property of the γ-Fe2O3/SiO2/GSs/TiO2 composites were characterised via X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse-reflectance spectra and a vibrating sample magnetometer, respectively. The result revealed that (i) the nanocrystalline structure of γ-Fe2O3/SiO2/GSs/TiO2 composites is nearly unchanged compared with pure P25 nanoparticles; (ii) there was a redshift in the absorption fringe of the photocatalyst composite; (iii) the photocatalyst composites displayed good superparamagnetism which was in favour of the reclamation of the catalyst; (iv) the adsorption and visual lightweight photocatalytic activity of the composite is enhanced greatly on decomposition of methylene blue and (v) the photocatalysts maintained high photocatalytic activity after being reused many times.