Fluoride-doped TiO2 photocatalyst with enhanced activity for stable pollutant degradation

Abstract

Fluoride-doped TiO2 (F-TiO2) was synthesized by an efficient and simple one-step synthesis and successfully used for the UV-photo-degradation of the toxic and stable pollutants methylene blue (MB) and bisphenol A (BPA). Initially, the synthesized catalyst was characterized and compared to untreated TiO2 (P25 Degussa) by different physical–chemical analyses such as XRD, band gap calculation, SEM, EDS, FITR, ECSA, or EIS. F-TiO2 defeated commercial TiO2, and almost complete pollutant removal was achieved within 30 min. The energy consumption was reduced as a result of the suitable reactor set-up, which reduced light scattering, and by the application of a long-pulse radiation procedure, where the lamp was switched off during periods where the radical degradation continued. This enhanced the overall photocatalysis process performance. Under these conditions, 80% of MB removal was attained within 15 min radiation with an energy consumption of only 0.070 Wh min−1, demonstrating a much better efficiency when compared to previously reported data. The catalyst was reusable, and its performance can be improved by the addition of H2O2. The results were validated by BPA degradation and the treatment of real wastewaters with both pollutants. The results were so encouraging that a scale-up reactor has been proposed for future studies.