New surface modified terpolymer: A smart photocatalytic functional material

Dye pollutants are alarming hazardous compounds causing serious diseases such as cancer, hormone deficiency and bronchitis. Research is essential to develop alternate/more effective technique for removal of dye pollutants. In the present investigation, initially, 2-hydroxyacetophenone–biuret–trioxane (2-HABT) terpolymer was successfully synthesized, purified and characterized in the laboratory. Then, titanium oxide photocatalyst was anchored on 2-HABT terpolymer using molecular adsorption–deposition method. The titanium oxide particles, deposited on the 2-HABT terpolymeric molecules, formed a coating of about 100 nm in thickness. This newly modified functional photocatalytic material was characterized by means of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron studies. An anatase-type titanium oxide was uniquely developed. This new TiO2-2-HABT photocatalyst exhibited an excellent photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of quite concentrated dyes. The dye molecules in bulk solution was supposed to be condensed around titanium oxide particles because of the adsorption phenomenon on 2-HABT polymer molecules, and, therefore, the photocatalytic process was enhanced due to the combined effect of adsorption by 2-HABT terpolymer macromolecules and photocatalytic activity on anatase-type titanium oxide. It was observed that the decolorization of contaminated water occurred within a short-time interval. Thus, it can be concluded that the functional photocatalytic material, reported in article, can be successfully used for water and wastewater treatments.