Preparation of activated carbon (AC)-loaded TiO2 adsorbent

Titanium dioxide is an effective adsorbent on the removal of arsenic from drinking water. Using three different methods: (a) directly using TiOSO 4 solution, (b) using the precursor of TiO 2 , (c) using TiO 2 sol-gel, one composite adsorbent was synthesized by loading titanium dioxide on activated carbon (TiO 2 /AC) with titanyl sulfate (TiOSO 4 ) and activated carbon as raw materials. The phase compositions and morphology of the adsorbent were characterized by using XRD and SEM. According to the TG/DTA results of TiOSO 4 , it is easy to see that there is no TiO 2 crystalline phase appears below 400 °C, and only anatase phase can be found at 400–700 °C. The presence of SO 4 2− restrained the transformation of anatase to rutile. The TiO 2 loading on the AC surface is anatase phase by using the precursor of TiO 2 and TiO 2 sol-gel, when the calcination temperature is 400 °C. At the same time, the distribution of TiO 2 is more uniform and immobilized on the AC surface by using TiO 2 sol-gel than using other two methods.