Preparation of Pb-doped tailings-based nano-TiO2 and study on photocatalytic degradation of PAM wastewater

Abstract

As an efficient flocculant, polyacrylamide (PAM) is widely used in water treatment process. The acrylamide monomer (AM) produced by depolymerization of residual PAM has been listed as a class IIA carcinogen, and its treatment is imminent. Flotation tailing (TC) was used as raw material to prepare a modified tailing matrix by alkali excitation. Nano-TiO2 was loaded onto the modified tailing matrix by hydrothermal method to prepare tailing-based nano-TiO2 composite (TiO2/TC) and Pb-doped tailing-based nano-TiO2 composite (Pb-TiO2/TC). The photocatalytic degradation properties of TC, modified coal matrix, TiO2/TC and Pb-TiO2/TC were analyzed with PAM as the target pollutant. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, UV-vis and BET, and the degradation products were analyzed and studied by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The degradation mechanism of PAM was explored. The results show that TC is irregular and the surface is rough; the surface of TiO2/TC is loose, the pore structure is obvious, and the fine tubular TiO2 is uniformly coated on the surface of modified tailings. The structure of Pb-TiO2/TC is more fluffy, and the modified coal matrix is loaded with more tubular TiO2. The band gap of TiO2/TC was 3.16 eV, and Pb2+ doping reduced the band gap of Pb-TiO2/TC to 3.08 eV. The specific surface area of TiO2 is 286.66 m2/g, the specific surface area of TiO2/TC and Pb-TiO2/TC are 360.33 m2/g and 358.54 m2/g. The higher specific surface area provides more active sites for the reaction, and the adsorption-catalytic synergistic effect significantly improves the photocatalytic efficiency. The degradation rates of PAM by TC and modified tailing matrix were 3.39% and 4.68%. The degradation rates of polyacrylamide by TiO2/TC and Pb-TiO2/TC loaded with TiO2 increased to 38.92% and 63.87%. After five cycles, the photocatalytic properties of TiO2/TC and Pb-TiO2/TC remained basically unchanged. In the degradation process of PAM, the macromolecular PAM breaks into small molecular weight PAM molecules, and further decomposes into NO3−, acrylic acid, acetamide and acetic acid.

Keywords

• tailing coal
• titanium dioxide
• high specific surface area
• polyacrylamide
• flocculant