TiO₂/single-walled carbon nanohorn nanohybrids as efficient catalysts for antibiotic photodegradation

Title : TiO₂/single-walled carbon nanohorn nanohybrids as efficient catalysts for antibiotic photodegradation

Abstract:

This communication reports the use of nanohybrid composites based on titanium dioxide (TiO₂) in the anatase phase and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) as efficient catalysts for the photodegradation of amoxicillin (AMOX). TiO₂/SWCNH composites containing 1, 5, and 10 wt.% SWCNHs were prepared through the solid-state interaction of the two components. Increasing the SWCNH content led to significant structural changes, evidenced by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. Specifically, the relative intensity ratio of the Raman bands at 1275 and 1597 cm⁻¹, assigned to the defects and the graphitic structures of SWCNHs, was modified. In addition, the IR absorbance band at 1739 cm⁻¹ increased progressively, indicating the formation of new carboxylic groups on the SWCNH surface.

The best photocatalytic performance was obtained for the TiO₂/SWCNH composite containing 5 wt.% SWCNHs, which achieved approximately 92.4% AMOX removal after 90 min of UV irradiation. Compared with pure TiO₂, the TiO₂/SWCNH composite showed higher efficiency because SWCNHs acted as electron acceptors, reducing electron-hole recombination. The catalyst also exhibited good stability, maintaining significant activity over six reuse cycles.

Biography:

Radu Constantin Cercel is a Research Assistant within the Laboratory of Optical Processes in Nanostructured Materials at the National Institute of Materials Physics (NIMP), Romania. He is a Ph.D. student in Physics at the University of Bucharest, having earned his Master’s degree in Medical Physics in 2020. His research focuses on environmental remediation, specifically the photochemical degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants using advanced nanohybrid catalysts like TiO₂ and carbon nanohorns. Radu specializes in optical characterization using complex spectroscopic techniques, including Raman, FTIR, and UV-VIS, contributing to several peer-reviewed publications in the field.