Design of MnO/TiO Nanostructures for Photocatalytic Removal of 2,4-D Herbicide.

The research and modification of semiconductors through different synthesis routes allow obtaining materials with optimal properties to induce new energy levels and improve charge separation efficiency. In this context, the sol-gel method was used to synthesize TiO-based materials doped with different percentages of MnO to evaluate their photocatalytic activity in the degradation of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in water under UV irradiation. Characterization results revealed a reduction in crystallite size to 7.

Improved photocatalytic oxidation of arsenic (III) with WO/TiO nanomaterials synthesized by the sol-gel method.

Photocatalytic oxidation of arsenite (As(III)) to arsenate (As(V)) was studied in aqueous solution using a series of WO/TiO semiconductors readily synthesized through sol-gel method with WO content in the range of 1-5 wt%. The resulting materials showed enhanced photocatalytic activity towards As(III) photo-oxidation compared to their individual counterparts under UV radiation. The amount of As(III) and As(V) species in the irradiated solution was determined using the molybdenum blue method.