Síntese e caracterização de TiO2 dopado com pentóxido de nióbio (Nb2O5) e óxido de níquel (NiO) pelo método sol-gel para aplicação em fotocatálise

Abstract

Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising technique for the treatment of effluents containing pollutants, such as Methylene Blue, a textile dye with a high environmental impact. Titanium Dioxide is an extensively studied semiconductor for photocatalysis application due to its corrosion resistance, but its high band gap energy limits its effectiveness to ultraviolet (UV) light. To overcome this limitation, TiO2 ​ was doped with Niobium and Nickel in concentrations of 10%, 15%, and 20% by molecular mass, using the Sol-Gel Method. The objective was to evaluate the photocatalytic properties of the synthesized materials in the degradation of Methylene Blue under solar exposure. The results demonstrate the obtainment of promising powders for photocatalysis, characterized by the presence of hydroxyl groups and a decrease in band gap energy towards the visible spectrum region, which optimizes the process under solar light.