Experimental study demonstrates enhanced degradation of aqueous nitrobenzene using graphitic carbon–TiO2 composites, highlighting an effective method for water purification.
Key Points
Evaluate the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of aqueous nitrobenzene using graphitic carbon–TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized with varying carbon loadings.
Synthesized graphitic carbon–TiO2 nanocomposites with varying carbon contents via a one-pot hydrothermal method.
Characterized material properties using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis.
Evaluated photocatalytic degradation of aqueous nitrobenzene under UV irradiation and confirmed degradation via chemical oxygen demand determinations.
Graphitic carbon incorporated into the composite without altering the native TiO2 crystal structure.
Presence of graphitic carbon increased nitrobenzene surface adsorption by 24%.
Achieved up to 96% nitrobenzene degradation within 4 hours at an optimal graphitic carbon loading of 1%, corroborated by chemical oxygen demand measurements.