The effect of metal-titania interaction on photodegradation in SBA-15-supported metal-titania photocatalysts

Several transition metals (Fe, Cu, Ni, Cr, and Co) were inserted into the Ti-SBA-15 using two-step synthesis methods. XRD, SEM-EDX, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, XRF, and UV-DRS analysis were used for characterizations. The results confirm the preservation of an ordered mesoporous structure and well-dispersed Ti-metal, and enhanced the absorption of light compared with Ti-SBA-15. The photocatalytic performances were evaluated in the degradation of methylene blue under UV light. The results show that the Co-Ti-SBA-15 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity among the prepared photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue. The significant activity increase might be attributed to the increased reactant adsorption by the mesoporous structure of SBA-15, the good distribution of TiO2 in the pores of SBA-15, and the increased electron transfer mobility due to metal doping. In addition to efficiency, Co-Ti-SBA-15 is a suitable catalyst for dye degradation, exhibiting good stability in methylene blue degradation over five photocatalytic runs without any deviation of the structure.