Partic. vol. 17 pp. 22-28 (December 2014)
doi: 10.1016/j.partic.2013.12.002

Adsorption and photo-catalytic properties of layered lepidocrocite-like quasi-amorphous compounds based on modified potassium polytitanates

E.V. Tretyachenko, A.V. Gorokhovsky, G.Y. Yurkov, F.S. Fedorov^*, M.A. Vikulova, D.S. Kovaleva, E.E. Orozaliev

fedorov_fs@daad-alumni.de

Abstract

TiO₂ compounds possess relatively high adsorption abilities and exhibit high photocatalytic activities that exhibit potential for the destruction of organic pollutants in natural and waste waters. Nanostructured potassium polytitanates modified using transition metals and their oxides/hydroxides generate new nanomaterials that operate in the visible spectral range.
This study presents the synthesis and investigation of the structure, composition and photocatalytic activity of powdered nanoscale quasi-amorphous potassium polytitanates particles modified with iron, zinc, copper, cobalt and nickel sulfate in aqueous solutions. All of the powders investigated in this work exhibit a high adsorption capacity for methylene blue dye (15–20 mg/g) related to the well-developed surface of the layered potassium polytitanate particles. Introducing transition metals and their oxides/hydroxides influences the electronic structure of the obtained systems. A high photocatalytic activity was observed for systems containing iron, zinc, nickel and their oxides/hydroxides in the ultraviolet and visible ranges.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Layered potassium titanate; Chemical modification; Heterostructured particles; Photocatalytic activity; Adsorption