Al2TiO5/SBA-15 promoting photocatalytic degradation of cinnamic acid

Abstract

The synthesis of Al2TiO5/SBA-15 (ATO/SBA) catalysts was investigated by the sol-gel method using precursors including aluminum nitrate, titanium isopropoxide, SBA-15, and citric acid. The formation of ATO/SBA phases was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The content of ATO in ATO/SBA catalysts strongly affected the photocatalytic degradation of cinnamic acid (CA). The obtained results showed that 75% ATO in ATO/SBA (75ATO/SBA ) phases led to the highest efficiency of CA photodegradation. The characteristics of 75ATO/SBA sample were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the activity of 75ATO/SBA on photocatalytic degradation of CA was also investigated by catalyst dosage, initial pH of CA solution, and airflow rate. The optimum condition for photodegradation efficiency of CA was found to be at Ccat = 0.75 g/L, pH = 3.8, Qair = 0.3 L/min and treact = 6 hrs.

Keywords

• Cinnamic acid
• degradation
• mesoporous silica material
• photocatalyst
• pseudobrookite