Photocatalytic activity of bauxite-tailings supported nano-TiO2

TiO2/bauxite-tailings (TiO2/BTs) composites were prepared via a chemical liquid deposition method and characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption analysis. The photocatalytic performance of TiO2/BTs composites was evaluated with UV-Vis spectrophotometer following the changes of phenol concentration under different illumination time. Effects of the calcination temperature, the pH and the cycles on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2/BTs composites were investigated. The composites calcined at 500 and 600 °C exhibit the best photocatalytic performance, and the phenol degradation ratios reacting for 40 and 160 min reach 35% and 78% respectively under the same conditions, higher than those of 29% and 76% of the Degussa P25(TiO2). The ability of TiO2/BTs500 (BTs500 represents bauxite-tailings calcined at 500 °C) composites to degrade phenol increases with decreasing pH.