Improved Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Orange Dye in UV Light Irradiation by K2Ti6O13 Nanorods

The K2Ti6O13 nanorods (KTNRs) were synthesized by Molten Salt Solution method (MSS) using TiO2 nanoparticles and potassium chloride as precursors. As synthesized KTNRs was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction to know the crystallinity, scanning electron microscopy confirms the rod type morphology with diameter 10 to 12 nm with length up to 80 nm, functional groups were studied with FT-IR spectroscopy, optical property of KTNRs showed the bandgap energy Eg= 3.41 eV by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The synthesized KTNRs was used as photocatalyst for degradation of the methyl orange dye under UV light illumination. The degradation of methyl orange dye followed the pseudo first order rate law. The kinetics and mechanism of MO dye degradation dye was studied for different photocatalyst dosage 5, 10 and 15 mg of KTNRs, maximum for rate constant is found for 10 mg of photocatalyst.