Preparation,Characterization And Photocatalytic Activity Of TiO₂(ZnO)/Conjugated Polymer Composites

In this thesis, several novel composites of TiO₂ (ZnO) and conjugated polymer were successfully designed and prepared: ZnO-CP composites were prepared from the precursors PVC and ZnCl₂; through a novel method in-situ HTSM, TiO₂-CPs composites were prepared from monomer styrene and TiCl₂; TiO₂-CPFA composites and TiO₂CPFD composites, from the precursors monomer furfurylamine (FA), TiO₂, TiCl₄ and furfuryldehyde(FD) TiCl₄ TiO₂, respectively. Their catalytic activities were evaluated by measuring the decolorization efficiency of MB in aqueous solution under natural light and room temperature conditions. In addition, the effect of calcination temperature and TiO₂ (ZnO) content on photocatalytic activity were investigated. These composites were also characterized using elemental analysis, SEM, TEM, XRD, TG-DTA, UV-Vis and IR techniques.1. Photocatalysis experiments indicated that, ZnO-GP , TiO₂-CPs , TiO₂-CPFA (TiO₂/CPFA) TiO₂-CPFD (TiO₂/CPFD) composites inhibited high catalytic activity and MB could fully be decolorized only in few minutes. In addition, with the proper TiO₂ (ZnO) content, ZnO-CP TiO₂/CPFA, TiO₂/CPFD composites could be reused several times while keeping high catalytic activity. Therefore, these materials promise much potential forconverting harmful substrates into harmless ones by utilizing natural light.2. Structural characterization results revealed that, during the process of a proper heat treatment, the conjugated polymer with active groups could be achieved and this functional polymer was beneficial to the enhancement of photo-generated charges separation, which was important for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. Such higher catalytic activity was also ascribed to the characteristics of the absorption of light from ultraviolet to visible region. TEM results confirmed that this present in situ HTSM method could effectively control the growth of particles in limited size such as nanometer.