NiTiO3 nanocomposite: Solvo-thermal synthesis and its application in environmental remediation

Abstract TiO2 is a photosensitive semi-conductor with high refractive index, thermal & chemical stability, exceptional optical & electronic properties and biocompatibility. But, its huge band gap (∼3 eV) makes it photo-active only in UV region, limiting its application in environmental remediation. To address this issue, a visible light sensitive NiTiO3 nanocomposite that exhibits photocatalytic behavior was synthesized using solvo-thermal method. The as-synthesized nanocomposite was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy. The nanocomposite was found to be crystalline and in the size range of 25–45 nm. BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) analysis revealed that the nanocomposite had a surface area of 40 m2/g. The activity of the nanocomposite was tested on benzene derivatives to study its efficiency in environmental remediation using gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy. The said NiTiO3 nanocomposite is found to be photo-active even in visible region, indicating introducing Ni into TiO2 enhanced the photocatalytic properties.