TiO2 Nanocatalysts Supported on a Hybrid Carbon-Covered Alumina Support: Comparison between Visible Light and UV Light Degradation of Rhodamine B

Titania nanoparticles were successfully supported on carbon-covered alumina (CCA) supports via the impregnation method to form carbon-covered alumna titania (CCA/TiO2). The CCA supports were synthesised through an equilibrium adsorption of toluene 2,4-diisocyante where the N=C=O irreversibly adsorbs on the alumina and pyrolysis at 700°C affords CCA supports. These CCA/TiO2 nanocatalysts were tested for their photocatalytic activity both under UV and visible light using Rhodamine B as a model pollutant. The reaction rate constant of the CCA/TiO2 was found to be higher than that of unsupported titania and the reaction kinetics were found to follow an apparent first-order rate law. The CCA/TiO2 nanocatalysts had a much larger surface area than the unsupported titania and they exhibited overall higher photodegradation efficiency under both UV and visible light than unsupported TiO2.