Preparation And Characterization Of Tio2 Modified With Aptms For Phenol Decomposition

In this work, physicochemical and photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide nanomaterial modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) is presented. The photocatalyst was obtained by a two-step solvothermal and calcination method at 700 degrees C in an argon atmosphere. The tested materials were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy/diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis/DRS). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area as well as pore size distribution were also measured. It was noted that the APTMS modification played a significant role in phase transformation changes, crystallite size as well as values of the specific surface area. It was found that the transformation from anatase to rutile was suppressing after APTMS modification. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained samples was determined by the phenol photodegradation under artificial solar light. The photocatalyst after aminosilanes modification and calcination exhibited higher photoactivity than TiO2-starting and the sample obtained similarly but without the addition of APTMS.