Photocatalytic applications of room temperature rutile TiO2 nanoparticles

Heterogeneous photocatalysis using nanostructured semiconductors constitute one of the emerging advanced oxidation processes (AOP) for destructive oxidation of organic contaminants in water or air. Water and wastewater treatment is a matter of global concern. With more stringent control measures being imposed to protect the source of fresh water it is imperative for the industries to bring down the concentration of hazardous pollutants in their effluents to the permissible level by adequate treatment. Water reuse and recycle has therefore acquired a great importance as the availability of fresh water will control our economic growth more than anything else, since it is basic need of life and has no substitute. The present day wastewater treatment plant for industries as well as domestic water purifiers are mostly using primary and secondary treatment processes. However, in order to comply with the stringent environmental norms more efficient treatment will be required and addition of tertiary treatment step like heterogeneous photocatalysis which ensure the complete mineralization of pollutants has thus become necessary.TiO
2
is the most used photocatalyst because of its high efficiency, nontoxicity, chemical and biological stability, and low cost. Herein we report the photocatalytic applications of prepared rutile Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles, prepared by reverse microemulsion process using a non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 as a template at room temperature. The as synthesized TiO
2
samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET, SEM and TEM. X-ray diffraction study shows pure rutile TiO
2
Nanopatricles. TEM image shows spherical TiO
2
Nanoparicles having average size 57 nm. As prepared rutile TiO
2
sample were used for the photocatalytic degradations of Methylene Blue Dye, Rhodamine B Dye and p-Nitrophenol. % COD reduction shows 83% degradation for Methylene Blue, 84% for Rhodamine B and 76% for p-Nitrophenol within 150 min only. The photocatalytic reaction shows first order kinetics.