Facile fabrication of H2BDC-NH2 modified anatase TiO2 for effective photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes

The 2-amino benzene dicarboxylic acid (H2BDC-NH2) modified TiO2 was prepared via hydrothermal method. The surface areas of unmodified and modified TiO2 were 23.206 and 231.908 m2/g, and the according light absorption range changed from 400 nm to 540 nm. The modified TiO2 exhibited 3 times higher visible-light photocatalytic degradation efficiency for four types of azo dyes than unmodified TiO2 and commercial P25. The ligand H2BDC of modified TiO2 generated photoelectrons and holes under visible light irradiation, producing OH• and O2•− active sites for the dye degradation. Moreover, the modified TiO2 showed excellent stability, which suggests the as-prepared composite to be a promising photocatalyst.