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Synthesis of Fe- or Ag-doped TiO2–MWCNT nanocomposite thin films and their visible-light-induced catalysis of dye degradation and antibacterial activity

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Abstract

Thin films of TiO2, TiO2-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (TiO2–MWCNT), Fe-doped TiO2–MWCNT (Fe–TiO2–MWCNT), and Ag-doped TiO2–MWCNT (Ag–TiO2–MWCNT) supported on glass substrates were successfully prepared by sol–gel drop coating method. MWCNTs were treated by H2SO4 and HNO3 to oxidize graphitic carbon. The composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy to confirm their structure and optical properties. XRD patterns of all prepared films exhibited (101), (004), (200), (105), (211), (204), (116), (220), (215), and (224) planes of anatase-phase TiO2. A pronounced broad peak at ~3400 cm−1 in the FTIR spectrum of the MWCNT confirmed oxidation of some carbon atoms on the surface of MWCNTs by HNO3 and H2SO4. The photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of the prepared materials were tested under visible-light irradiation based on degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solution and reduction in the viable count of Escherichia coli, respectively. Fe or Ag was doped into the TiO2-MWCNT composites, lowering the bandgap and thereby enabling enhanced photocatalytic activity in the visible-light region. Based on the MB photodegradation results, the photocatalytic efficiency of the Fe–TiO2–MWCNT and Ag–TiO2–MWCNT composites could be due to the following mechanism: (1) adsorption and photoinduced electron absorption by MWCNT, and (2) electron trapping by Fe or Ag within the TiO2 matrix, in addition to the usual photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Moreover, as-synthesized Ag–TiO2–MWCNT composite films showed outstanding antimicrobial activity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Erman Bengu of Bilkent University, Turkey for supply of CNTs and are also grateful to the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), University Research Center, SUST, University Grants Commission, Bangladesh, Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh and Ministry of Education, Bangladesh for research grants to carry out this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh

    Md. Asjad Hossain, Md. Elias, Dali Rani Sarker, Zidnia Rahman Diba, Jannatul Morshed Mithun, Iqbal Ahmed Siddiquey & Md. Nizam Uddin

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G2, Canada

    Md. Asjad Hossain

  3. Department of Chemistry, Jagannath University, Dhaka, 1100, Bangladesh

    Md. Elias

  4. Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, 3114, Bangladesh

    Md Abul Kalam Azad

  5. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, Kind Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed M. Rahman

  6. Department of Natural Sciences, Coppin State University, Baltimore, MD, 21216, USA

    Jamal Uddin

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  1. Md. Asjad Hossain
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  2. Md. Elias
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  3. Dali Rani Sarker
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  9. Jamal Uddin
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Correspondence to Md. Nizam Uddin.

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Md. Asjad Hossain and Md. Elias contributed equally to this work.

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Hossain, M.A., Elias, M., Sarker, D.R. et al. Synthesis of Fe- or Ag-doped TiO2–MWCNT nanocomposite thin films and their visible-light-induced catalysis of dye degradation and antibacterial activity. Res Chem Intermed 44, 2667–2683 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11164-018-3253-z

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