Enhanced photocatalytic urea oxidation under neutral medium by reduced graphene oxide coated TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

Nowadays, fertilizers are used to boost crop production. Nitrogenous fertilizers are assimilated as nitrate. Unfortunately, 60–70% of nitrogen is lost due to different leaching processes. Photocatalytic urea oxidation is now emerging as a new methodology. Nitrate conversion is favorable under alkaline pH. However, it can subsequently cause deprotonation of ammonium ions to result ammonia leaching. In this report, efficiencies of bare and RGO loaded TiO2 were examined. In the presence of NaF, the nanocomposite possesses a 9.8(1)% nitrate yield, significantly greater than the other analogous reactions. Such observation will be helpful in developing new methodologies to afford sustainable agriculture.

Keywords

• Hybrid composites
• Photocatalytic degradation
• Urea oxidation
• Nitrate production
• Sustainable agriculture