The adsorption feature and photocatalytic oxidation activity of K1−2xMxTiNbO5 (M=Mn, Ni) for methyl mercaptan in methane

K1−2xMxTiNbO5 (M=Mn, Ni) ceramics materials were prepared through an ion-exchange of potassium titanoniobate (KTiNbO5), which was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The effect of ion-exchange process on the structure and morphology of the ceramics materials was investigated. The adsorption and reaction results showed that K1−2xNixTiNbO5 exhibited better adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation activity for methyl mercaptan in methane under both visible and UV light radiation. The novel photocatalytic ceramics material K1−2xMxTiNbO5 (M=Mn, Ni) were prepared through Mn2+ and Ni2+ ion-exchange of KTiNbO5, which was synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The influence of the ion-exchange process on the structure and morphology of prepared ceramics material were investigated by such physicochemical methods as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) microscopy. The adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation of methyl mercaptan (MM) in methane were used to evaluate the catalytic performance of different constitutes. The results revealed that K1−2xNixTiNbO5 exhibited better adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation activity for MM in methane under both visible and UV light radiation. While the photocatalytic oxidation activity of K1−2xMnxTiNbO5 is similar to that of K1−2xNixTiNbO5, however it has little adsorption activity for MM in dynamic state.