Influence of Surface Properties of Activated Carbon on Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 in 4-chlorophenol Degradation

Abstract

This work shows the influence of specific surface area (BET) and surface pH of different activated carbons on the photocatalytic activity of UV-irradiated TiO 2 in the 4-chlorophenol (4CP) photodegradation. Carbons were prepared from sawdust of Tabebuia Pentaphyla wood by physical activation with CO 2 and by pyrolysis under N 2 flow at temperatures from 450 up to 1000C during 1h Chemical activation was also performed by the impregnation of precursor with ZnCl 2 , H 3 PO 4 and KOH at different concentrations, followed by activation under N 2 flow at 450C by 1h. Comparison of apparent first-order rate constants between TiO 2 against TiO 2 -AC indicate that TiO 2 photoactivity is enhanced or inhibited as a function of AC properties and correlations with surface area and pH PZC were found suggesting that surface pH of carbons is the most important parameter that influences TiO 2 activity in the 4CP photodegradation.