Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of composite materials based on zeolite-tio2 nanocrystals

Abstract

The composite materials based on natural zeolite and undoped and N-doped TiO2, i.e., Z-Na-TiO2 and Z-Na-TiO2-N, were successfully synthesized by solid-state reaction in microwave-assisted hydrothermal conditions. Undoped TiO2 and N-doped TiO2 nanocrystals were previously synthesized by sol-gel method. The X-rays diffraction results of TiO2 nanocrystals indicated that anatase TiO2 is the dominant crystalline type. The composite materials were structural and morphological characterized by X-ray diffraction, DRUV-VIS spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM/EDX analysis. The presence of N into Z-Na-TiO2-N was confirmed by EDX analysis. Photocatalytic activity of composite materials was investigated using humic acid as a model pollutant. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Z-Na-TiO2-N catalyst is proved through the degradation and mineralization of humic acid under ultraviolet and visible irradiation.