Preparation of TiO2-activated kaolinite composite for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B dye

ABSTRACT. Rhodamine B (RhB) is one of the prominent dyes discovered to be carcinogenic and mutagenic substance present in ecosystem. Alteration characteristics TiO2 through modification with clay influences behavior some organic molecules at its surface, thus photocatalytic properties. This study investigates degradation RhB using TiO2-activated kaolinite composite (TiO2-AKC). TiO2-AKC was prepared absolute ethanol characterized SEM, EDX, TEM, BET FTIR. The photodegradation room temperature under visible-light studied various time intervals concentration monitored Ultraviolet-Visible spectrophotometer. Characterisation revealed an adequate distribution over AKC enhanced surface area (TiO2-AKC 808 m2g-1, 50.0 20.6 m2g-1) necessary for effective degradation. efficient than sole resulting 99.51% 88.35%, respectively. experimental data analysed zeroth first order kinetics, parabolic diffusion, modified Freundlich model. kinetics conforms TiO2. mechanism fit into model diffusion while best described by model.
 
 KEY WORDS: Kaolin, Kinetics, Organic dyes, Photodegradation, Pollutants, Titanium(IV) oxide
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2022, 36(1), 13-24. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v36i1.2