Photocatalytic Degradation of Textile Dye using TiO2-Activated Carbon Nanocomposite

Rapid industrialisation has extended the use of dyes in various industrial applications in order to meet the escalating demands on consumer products. The toxicity level of a particular dye is very important due to its diverse effects on the environment and living organisms. Among all the techniques for dye removal, adsorption and photocatalysis are two important processes which are gaining much attention in recent years. In the present study activated carbon (adsorbent), TiO2 nanoparticles (photocatalyst) and their composite were used for dye removal. Prepared samples were characterized using standard characterization techniques such as XRD and SEM. Activated carbon was prepared from waste shells of Sterculia foetida. Mixture of activated carbon (activation temperature 600 degrees C) and titania (calcined at 500 degrees C) in the ratio 1: 1 displayed greater dye removal efficiency than its individual components. Reusability study indicated that the mixture could effectively be used without further regeneration as very little loss in efficiency was observed after single cycle use.