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Synergistic effects of zirconium and silver co-dopants in TiO2 nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of an organic dye and antibacterial activity

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Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the effects of zirconium and silver co-dopants on the photocatalytic reactivity of TiO2. Zirconium and silver co-doped titanium dioxide (Zr-Ag co-doped TiO2) was synthesized by sol-gel method. The molar ratio of silver was fixed at 5% mol, while the molar ratio of zirconium was varied at 5, 10, and 15% mol. The synthesized photocatalysts were calcined at 500 °C for 5 h. The characteristics of the photocatalysts were examined by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The XRD results indicated that the anatase phase of TiO2 and metal doping did not affect the crystal phase of TiO2, and the FESEM confirmed the presence of silver and zirconium in co-doped TiO2. After doping, the band gap energy of the doped TiO2 was significantly reduced due to the red shift effect. The photocatalytic reactivity and kinetics of the photocatalysts were investigated by photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) under UV and fluorescent light. Photocatalytic decolorization of MB dramatically improved when TiO2 was co-doped with silver and zirconium. The antibacterial efficiency of Zr-Ag co-doped TiO2 against Escherichia coli (E. coli) was also investigated under fluorescent light and in the dark. The synergistic effects of zirconium and silver dopants on the photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of TiO2 were observed. The 5% mol of silver and 10% mol of zirconium co-doped TiO2 exhibited the highest decolorization efficiency at 98.07% under fluorescent light and could completely inhibit E. coli under fluorescent light within 20 min.

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Funding

The authors would like to express their gratitude to The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, and Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment, PERDO, Bangkok, Thailand, and the Thailand Graduate Institute of Science and Technology’s (TGIST) scholarship (TG-55-20-55-049D) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Pornrat Sanitnon

  2. Center of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment, PERDO, Bangkok, Thailand

    Pornrat Sanitnon

  3. Division of Environmental Technology, School of Energy, Environment and Materials, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Siriluk Chiarakorn

  4. Nanotec-KMUTT Center of Excellence on Hybrid Nanomaterials for Alternative Energy, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Siriluk Chiarakorn

  5. National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    Chamorn Chawengkijwanich

  6. Department of Tool and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Surawut Chuangchote

  7. Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Center of Eco-Materials and Cleaner Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok, Bangkok, 10800, Thailand

    Thirawudh Pongprayoon

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  1. Pornrat Sanitnon
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Sanitnon, P., Chiarakorn, S., Chawengkijwanich, C. et al. Synergistic effects of zirconium and silver co-dopants in TiO2 nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of an organic dye and antibacterial activity. J Aust Ceram Soc 56, 579–590 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41779-019-00368-w

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