Photocatalytic Performance of Fe2O3 Modified TiO2 Catalyst Towards the Degradation of Rhodamine 6G

Abstract

Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ coatings were prepared on glass slide substrates using sol-gel method. The phase structure, thermal microstructure and surface properties of the coatings were respectively characterized by using X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ photocatalyst shows obvious red-shift compared with pure TiO₂ by DRS, absorbance in the visible range of the Fe₂O₃-TiO₂ samples increases with the increase of the amount of Fe₂O₃ loaded. The photocatalytic activity had been validated by the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine 6G. The result showed that 15 wt % Fe₂O₃ modified TiO₂ film is the optimal photocatalyst to degradation. The removal rate of TOC indicated that a lower pH value was beneficial to the mineralization of rhodamine 6G.