ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of phenol by Ag-doped TiO₂ nanocomposite photocatalysts under visible light irradiation in a three-phase fluidized bed reactor

Nasim Yavari, Omid Tavakoli, and Mohammad Javad Parnian

School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

E-mail: otavakoli@ut.ac.ir

Received: 12 August 2020  Accepted: 21 January 2021

Abstract:

In this study, phenol degradation was investigated in a three-phase fluidized bed photocatalytic reactor under visible irradiations by Ag–TiO₂ photocatalyst. The modified photocatalyst (1%Ag/TiO₂) was synthesized by the photodeposition method and then characterized by DRS, XRD, and SEM. The characterization results showed the Ag deposition on the surface of TiO₂ nanoparticles. The operating parameters effects including catalyst loading (0.9, 1.5, and 3 g/L), initial contaminant concentration (5, 10, 15, 20, and 50 mg/L) with/without H₂O₂ on the photocatalytic degradation of phenol were studied, and the optimum operational condition was determined. The results showed enhanced degradation using Ag-doped catalyst under visible irradiation, while 5 mg/L phenol concentration at the initial point, 1.5 g/L catalyst loading with the presence of 10 mg/L of H₂O₂, was the most suitable condition to reach a remarkable degradation efficiency. Besides, the phenol photocatalytic degradation for modified Ag/TiO₂ catalyst under visible light was compared to commercial TiO₂ catalyst under UV irradiation at the optimum operating conditions showing a higher photocatalytic activity for Ag/TiO₂ catalyst.

Keywords: Photocatalytic degradation; Phenol degradation; Fluidized bed reactor; Visible light; Ag/TiO2 photocatalyst

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01531-z

Chemical Papers 75 (7) 3181–3196 (2021)