Sol–gel synthesis of TiO2 on Co3O4-coated sporopollenin exine microcapsules (SECs) and photocatalytic performance of new semiconductor heterojunction material

Abstract

In this study, a new approach was developed to prepare mesoporous hybrid TiO2/Co3O4 coated on Juglans sporopollenin exine microcapsules (SECs). TiO2 was synthesized on Co3O4-coated SECs used as substrate, by sol–gel method. The obtained semiconductor/semiconductor hetero-junction hybrid materials were characterized with X-ray diffractometry (XRD), UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size distribution, specific surface area, and zeta potential measurements. Photocatalytic performances of hybrid materials were tested for Reactive Black 5 dye under both UV and visible light. Equilibrium pH of the solution containing 10 mg/L Reactive Black 5 dye and 0.1% wt/v TiO2/Co3O4 was around 4.7. After irradiation in the solar box, more than 98% of the Reactive Black 5 was photocatalytically degraded within 60 min.