The Catalyst Performance of Carbon Quantum-Dot Modified TiO2 Composite
Asrianti Bt. Sunardi1,b), Nandang Mufti1,2,a), Hari Wisodo1, Hendri Widiyandari3

1 Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang No. 5, Malang 65145, Indonesia
2 Centre of Material for Renewable Energy, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang 65145, Indonesia
3 Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36 A, Surakarta, Central Java, 57126, Indonesia

Abstract

Quantum-dot carbon (CQD) has great potential in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of TiO2 materials and their optical absorption into visible light. Here, we study the properties of TiO2/CQD in detail as a catalyst material. The CQD was successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method at 160 C for 8 hours, and the TiO2/CQD composite was successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method at 100 C for 8 hours. FTIR characterization was carried out to determine the functional groups and UV-Vis to determine the optical and photocatalytic properties. FTIR results showed that the peak of O-H stretching at 3500-3250 cm-1, C-O stretching at 1400 cm-1, C=C bonding at 1625 cm-1, and Ti-O extending below 1000 cm-1 came from samples containing TiO2. The results of UV-Vis analysis show that the TiO2/CQD absorption region is around 300-320 nm towards the visible light region. The band gap energy of TiO2 is 3.44 eV, but the addition of CQD caused the reduction of the band gap energy to 3.41 eV, leading to an increase of photocatalytic activity.

Keywords: Carbon Quantum-Dot, Hydrothermal, Photocatalytic, TiO2

Topic: Catalyst and photocatalyst