ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Investigation of Photocatalytic Activity
of C60/TiO2 Nanocomposites Produced
by Evaporation Drying Method
Elżbieta Regulska, Joanna Karpińska
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Institute of Chemistry, University of Białystok, Hurtowa 1, 15-399 Białystok, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(6):2175-2182
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ABSTRACT
Within the last century millions of various dyes have been generated in an attempt to prepare new efficient
photocatalysts for their degradation. As fullerenes are commonly known to be effective electron-donor
scavengers and are very promising for synergistic reasons, fullerene-titanium dioxide (C60/TiO2) nanocomposites
of different mass ratios (1:1, 1:10, 1:20, and 1:100) were prepared. Their photocatalytic properties were
examined by investigating methylene blue (MB) degradation. As photodegradation of dye analysis indicated,
the C60/TiO2 (1:20) composites were found to demonstrate the highest enhancement of photocatalytic activity.
A series of techniques, including SEM and TEM microscopies, Raman and UV-VIS diffuse-reflectance
spectroscopies, along with DSC and TGA analysis, was used to characterize the prepared material. It is expected
that obtained composites will be able to create pro-ecological and cheaper methods of water disinfection,
decontamination of soil, etc.