Development of doped TiO₂ photocatalyst on α-Al₂O₃ ceramic substrate and their use in the degradation of ibuprofen, caffeine, and carbamazepine as model contaminants of emerging concern (CECs)

Abstract

In this study, α-Al₂O₃ ceramic substrate was worked, characterized, and used as a support for an optimized W doped HRTiO₂ active layer. HRTiO₂ and SynTiO₂ were modified with 2 wt. % of either W and or Mo in the mono decorated materials and 1 wt. % each of W and Mo in the co-doped forms. Materials were characterized by TGA-DSC, XRD, FTIR, TEM, SEM-EDS, XPS, BET/BJH application method as well as UV-vis/DRS measurement. As part of the modification outcome in the improvement of the TiO₂ based photocatalysts materials; 2 wt % W/HRTiO₂ degraded 96 % of initial 50 mg/L IBF concentration, ~ 76 % of initial 100 mg/L CAF concentration, and ~ 100 % and 88 % of respective initial 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L CBZ concentrations after 1 h at 365 nm irradiation, and under natural (unmodified) initial pH conditions. In addition, the modified TiO₂ also showed enhanced performance activity under 450 nm irradiation. Effects of other parameters on the photocatalytic degradation process were also investigated and reaction mechanisms proposed. On the average, ~ 0.00 5 g (W/HRTiO₂) on ceramic support removed over 90 % of 5 mg/L initial IBF, CAF, and CBZ concentrations and sustained over 80 % removal for CAF and CBZ after successive 3 cycle test runs after 360 min of 365 nm irradiation under natural (unmodified) pH conditions. XRD and FTIR outcome showed topcoat surface stability thereafter.