Abstract
The search for a viable photocatalyst for water remediation is ongoing and in recent times the efforts have predominantly focused on improving the limitations of the TiO2 photocatalyst. This paper reports a dual strategy for improving the photocatalytic properties of TiO2. The first strategy is to dope up to 30% of W6+ and Zn2+ into the crystal lattice of TiO2 using the resin gel technique to synthesize quaternary mixed metal oxides (QMMOs). It was demonstrated by laser Raman spectroscopy, PXRD and various other strategies, including dislodging the dopants from the crystal lattice of TiO2, that these materials were successfully synthesized. More importantly, UV-DRS showed that these materials could absorb visible light. TiO2 and the QMMOs were also supported on 10% NCNTs synthesized from coal fly ash, by slightly modifying the resin gel technique. It was observed from TEM images that the NCNTs were uniformly coated with TiO2 and QMMO nanoparticles. These composites were observed to have lower photoluminescence emission spectra when compared to neat TiO2 and unsupported QMMOs. The two-part strategy employed in this project worked as the QMMOs supported on 10% NCNTs had higher visible light photodegradation efficiencies compared to neat TiO2 and the unsupported QMMOs.