Treatment of Dyestuff Wastewater using TiO2 based Nanocomposite

TiO2 nanoparticles are used as self-cleaning and anti-bacterial agents due to their excellent photo-catalytic activities. In order to achieve a homogeneous distribution of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the context nanocomposite, the TiO2 nanoparticles were modified initially by vinyl triacetoxysilane (VTAS) and polyelectrolyte. In this research, an organicinorganic hybrid is prepared via radical graft polymerization. Characterization of the sample was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and UV-VIS spectroscopy. FTIR spectra proved the connection of coupling agent group and chains of polymers onto the surface of the nanoparticles. According to X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), nanocomposite sample shows the sharp characteristic peaks, which is related to anatase and rutile phase TiO2. Photocatalytic activity of nanocomposite was determined in presence of Rhodamine B (Rh.B) dyestuff as a photo-degradable model. It was clearly shown that in the presence of nanocomposite, the degradation of Rh.B occured well. Photo degradation of Rh.B in the presence of nanocomposite is evident by weaker intensity of UV absorption peak of 714 nm in different time intervals due to lowering Rh.B concentration

Keywords:

TiO2 nanoparticles , nanocomposite , Photocatalytic , RhodamineB , Wastewater treatment