Efficiency of Cu/TiO₂to remove salicylic acid by photocatalytic decomposition: kinetic modelling

Abstract

Titanium dioxide has waste applications as photocatalyst, as antimicrobial material and in biomedical field. By modifying the surface of TiO2 with noble metals its photoactivity will be enhanced. This paper aims to explain the role of the copper particles deposited on titania surface during the photodecomposition of salicylic acid and to provide evidence about which kinetic model describes best the photocatalysis. The research explains why the photodecomposition rate of salicylic acid is higher in Cu/TiO2 composite as compared to in TiO2. It consists in kinetic approach of the photocatalytic behaviour of Cu–TiO2 and TiO2, thus being possible to discuss the photodecomposition mechanism. This research will allow improvement of the techniques to remove salicylic acid from synthetic solution. This could be extended to other organic pollutants.