Study of photocatalytic activity of TiO2 fluorinated by thermal shock method for the degradation of different dyes

Abstract

TiO₂ P25 was fluorinated by thermal shock method in order to study the influence of thermal shock fluorination on the surface properties and the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of cationic and anionic organic dyes at different pH values. The surface charge of catalysts was characterized by the pHPZC measurement. The photocatalytic activity of catalysts was evaluated via the degradation of methylene blue (cationic dye) and methyl orange (anionic dye). The results showed that the thermal shock fluorination and the rise of solution pH can increase the surface negative charge of TiO₂, which enhanced the adsorption of methylene blue and then improved the photocatalytic degradation of this cationic dye under UV and visible light. On the other hand, after the fluorination, the adsorption of methyl orange on TiO₂ was strongly reduced, which limited the photocatalytic oxidation of this anion dye.