Photocatalytic degradation of phenol and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water by novel acid soluble collagen-polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer embedded in Nitrogen-TiO2

The photocatalytic degradation of phenol, naphthalene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, and anthracene was investigated using a novel nitrogen-doped TiO2/acid-soluble collagen-polyvinyl pyrrolidone nanocomposite (N-TiO2/ASC-PVP). Characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the nanocomposite consists of spheroidal particles smaller than those of undoped TiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the incorporation of nitrogen within the TiO2 lattice, appearing as both substitutional nitrogen (O-Ti-N) and interstitial nitrogen (Ti-O-N). The degradation process followed apparent first-order kinetics, with the N-TiO2/ ASC-PVP calcined at 200 degrees C and 400 degrees C demonstrating high photocatalytic degradation efficiencies. The nanocomposite achieved a remarkable 98.6% degradation of the targeted compounds within 120 minutes at a concentration of 10 mg/L. The enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light can be attributed to several factors: the smaller crystal size, increased surface hydroxyl groups, improved visible light absorption, and a reduced band gap energy. This N-TiO2/ASC-PVP photocatalyst shows significant potential for applications in materials science and nanotechnology, supporting advancements in environmental and energy-related fields.