Modified self-cleaning fabric by CuO doped TiO2 composite

Photocatalysis is one the promising technology in enhancing the cleanliness of material. Modified self-cleaning fabric by CuOdopet TiO2 has been done to achieve the optimum loading of CuO on TiO2 in improving the photocatalytic performance for methylene blue degradation. The dopant deposition process is carried out using the photo assisted deposition method. CuO/TiO2 composite was characterized by UV-Vis DRS. The optimum loading of CuO will be coated on the surface of cotton fabric. The self-cleaning performance on cotton fabric is evaluated using sludge. The photodegradation of methylene blue is done by small amount of CuO/TiO2 composite to methylene blue solution for 2 hours, thus absorbance can be known using UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. After the fabric is made, functional groups found in fabric is characterized using FTIR, while the self-cleaning ability is tested by putting fabric in a sludge dirt for several minutes, then spray with water. UV-Vis DRS shows the presence of dopantCuO can lower band-gap energy. The result is also confirmed by the increased photocatalytic activity in 3%CuO/TiO2 sample which is optimum in degrading methylene blue reaching 95% in 30 minutes irradiation. This is also in line with the results of the performance of self-cleaning to sludge for cotton 3%CuO/TiO2 sample which has cleaner surfaces than others because the existence of CuO dopant and Ti-O-Si bond is detected using FTIR, so the modified fabric is increasingly hydrophilic.