Synthesis, Characterization and Study of the Photocatalytic Activity of the Ti/Fe Mixed Oxide

Abstract

The mixed oxides of Ti/Fe were prepared by sol-gel method and the materials were synthesized with different Ti/Fe ratios (0, 25, 50 and 75 wt% of iron). In the spectrum of the material without iron, it is possible to observe the predominant phase of the titanium oxide was anatase, which can be confirmed through x-ray diffraction. It can be observed that when the iron was added, the predominant phase of the titanium oxide was rutile and was found evidence of the formation of pseudobrookite (Fe₂TiO₅). The material synthesized was used in the degradation of the azo dye (Reactive Orange 16). Adsorption studies of the material showed that the material without iron adsorbs the dye and that the materials containing iron adsorb a smaller amount of dye. The best conditions found for the degradation of the dye were obtained under conditions that were favorable to the photocatalytic activity of the titanium dioxide and the Fenton-like reaction. The material with 50 wt% of iron showed good performance, not only in the maximum absorbance of the dye, but also in the degradation of the aromatics, this material showed excellent percentages of degradation of the textile effluent.