Photocatalytic performance of Soot/TiO2 nanocomposite against toxic dye

Nowadays, composing semiconductors with carbon structures to enhance their optical properties shows huge interest as a nanophotocatalyst for trending applications (i.e., photodegrading pollutants). In this study, TiO2 and soot/TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared via a one-step sol-gel assisted hydrothermal method, using a temperature of 220 °C and a reaction time of 6 h. Characterization by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the resulting TiO2 and soot/TiO2 materials exhibited a pure anatase crystal phase, without the presence of other TiO2 polymorphs. Soot composition on TiO2 showed enhanced photocatalysis properties, such as a lower combination rate of electron-hole pairs than pure TiO2. Crystal violet (CV) was applied as a pollutant model to examine the photocatalytic degradation of synthesized TiO2 and soot/TiO2. The photodegradation experiments of CV dye in its aqueous media by UV light interaction showed 26.63 % and 89.09 % in the presence of TiO2 and soot/TiO2 nanocomposite, respectively. In the basic media (pH 11), maximum photodegradation (97.95 %) is attained when 0.004 g of Photocatalyst (soot/TiO2) is used. Using the recycled photocatalyst, the dye's photodegradation efficiency remained high throughout the reusability cycles, even after four consecutive cycles. [Display omitted] •Carbon-based nanophotocatalysts enhance optical properties.•TiO2 and soot/TiO2 prepared via one-step hydrothermal route.•TiO2 and soot/TiO2 exhibit single phase of anatase.•Soot/TiO2 shows lower combination rate of electron-hole pairs.•Soot/TiO2 achieves highly efficient photodegradation of CV dye (89.09 %).•TiO2 nanoparticles achieve lower removal percentage of CV dye (26.63 %).