Nanoparticle Self-Assembly Mechanisms in the Colloidal Synthesis of Iron Titanate Nanocomposite Photocatalysts for Environmental Applications

Abstract

Colloidal synthesis of iron titanate based nanocomposites exploiting interaction of solutions of binary oxide nanoparticles, Fe2O3 and TiO2, was investigated with respect to the pH of the reaction medium and the conditions used for the synthesis of the reactants. It has been demonstrated that while the phase composition of the products is rather analogous, involving formation of iron titanate phases on the grain boundaries of the binary oxide particles, the morphology of the resulting aggregates can be a matter of pH-control. The self-assembly mechanisms are guided by the surface charge of the particles, offering nano rod regular colloid crystal structures of altering particles with opposite initial charges at neutral pH and globular aggregates with random distribution of uniformly charged particles at low pH as revealed by DLS and high resolution TEM studies. The produced materials demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to iron titanates produced by conventional techniques. Magnetic characteristics have also been investigated disclosing possibility of magnetic separation for the Fe2TiO5 material, making it an attractive candidate for application in sustainable remediation of wastewaters.

Keywords

Nanocomposite structure; Colloidal synthesis; Aggregation driving forces; pH control; Photocatalytic activity

Published in

ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering
2016, volume: 4, number: 5, pages: 2814–2821

SLU Authors

• Kessler, Vadim

  • The Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG6 Clean water and sanitation

UKÄ Subject classification

Materials Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Physical Chemistry

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.6b00317

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/79340