Synthesis of Niobium-Doped Silica-Titania Composites via Solid-State Method for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11113/jomalisc.v4.106Keywords:
Silica, TItania, Niobium, methylene blue, photocatalystAbstract
The increasing use of synthetic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB), creates environmental concerns because of their toxic and persistent nature. In this study, a series of niobium-doped silica-titania (Nb-SiO₂/TiO₂) composites with 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 mol% Nb were synthesized using sol-gel and solid-state doping methods. Characterization of the 9% Nb-SiO₂/TiO₂ sample revealed an amorphous phase, an increase in bandgap from 3.05 to 3.58 eV, and a significant surface area rise up to 322 m²/g. The photocatalytic performance of the samples was tested under visible light. The 9% Nb-SiO₂/TiO₂ sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving MB degradation of 65% (15 ppm MB) and 83% (5 ppm MB) after 6 hours of reaction. These results demonstrate the composite's potential to effectively treat dye-contaminated wastewater.
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