Preparation and characterization of visible light-driven praseodymium-doped mesoporous titania coated magnetite photocatalyst

Abstract

1257-1262A visible light-driven magnetic composite photocatalyst, viz., (Pr/MTiO2/Fe3O4), has been prepared by coating photoactive praseodymium-doped mesoporous titania (Pr/MTiO2) onto magnetic Fe3O4 via hydrolysis of tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(OBu)4) with Pr(NO3)3•6H2O and Ti(OBu)4 as precursors in the presence of Fe3O4 particles. The photocatalytic activities of the obtained photocatalysts under visible light are estimated by measuring the degradation rate of methylene orange in aqueous solution. Results show that the prepared photocatalyst is activated by visible light and may be used as effective catalyst in photooxidation reactions. In addition, the possibility of cyclic usage of the prepared photocatalyst is also confirmed; ca. 88% of the photocatalytic activity of as-prepared Pr/MTiO2/Fe3O4 is retained after being used four times. Moreover, the photocatalyst can be easily recovered by application of external magnetic field and reused without any mass loss up to four cyclicity. The photocatalyst therefore may be potentially applied for the treatment of water contaminated by organic pollutants.<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;font-family:" times="" new="" roman","serif";letter-spacing:-.1pt"="" lang="EN-GB"> </span