XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 685
micropores. From the BJH pore size distribution plots
depicted in Figure 5b, the pore sizes of TC and MTC are
mainly distributed in the range of 2 to 16 nm. While for
the ATC and BTC samples, the pore diameter distribution
range becomes broad because of the formation of more
mesopores.
Optical Properties Analysis
UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was
employed to investigate the light absorption ability and
bandgap energy of the samples. As shown in Figure 6a,
the light absorption edge of TiO2 is about 390 nm, while
that of TC is broadened to about 450 nm, indicating the
positive role of clinoptilolite support. Moreover, the light
absorption edge of three ternary composites is further
enlarged due to the formation of heterojunction between
TiO2 and the photosensitive semiconductor materials (Ag,
MoS2, and BiOCl). All ternary composites can be moti-
vated under visible light to generate e−/h+ pairs. E.g., of the
samples can be determined by the following formula [18]:
h A_h E
g
n/2 o o =-i (3)
Herein, α, hν, A, and Eg, represent the absorption coeffi-
cient, photon energy, constant, and bandgap, respectively.
Particularly, the value of n depends on semiconductor char-
acteristics. For direct transition semiconductor, n is equal
to 1, while it is 4 for the indirect transition semiconduc-
tor. Since TiO2 is a direct transition semiconductor, the Eg,
value can be determined through the plot of (Ahν)1/2 versus
hν. While MoS2 and BiOCl belong to indirect transition
semiconductors. From the result of Figure 6b, the Eg, values
of ATC, MTC, and BTC are estimated to be 2.07, 1.45
and 2.56 eV, which are obtained according to the tangent
intercept to the X-axis. The smaller bandgap energies of ter-
nary composites indicate that more photogenerated carriers
will be produced under the same irradiation conditions.
Photocatalytic Performance Evaluation
Photodegradation Efficiency and Reaction Kinetics
Since the TC binary composite photocatalyst can only be
excited by UV light, Figure 7a exhibits the photodegrada-
tion efficiencies of TiO2 and TC under UV irradiation.
Besides, the blank control group, NC and ALC are uti-
lized to highlight the photoactivity of TC. The decomposi-
tion of SIPX in blank control group may be ascribed to
the high-energy density of UV light and thus can degrade
part of contamination directly. It is found that the SIPX
Figure 5. (a) N
2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and (b) BJH pore size distribution plots of NC, ALC, TiO
2 ,TC, ATC, MTC
and BTC samples
Table 2. The pore textural properties of different samples
Sample SBET, m2/g* V, cm3/g† d, nm‡
NC 34.66 0.1363 18.74
ALC 181.74 0.1700 13.24
TiO2 32.84 0.1586 16.31
TC 78.16 0.2868 15.75
ATC 59.26 0.2840 19.26
MTC 71.49 0.2838 10.99
BTC 51.99 0.2258 17.74
*The specific surface area was calculated by the BET method.
† The pore volume was obtained from the BJH desorption
cumulative volume of pores between 1.70 and 300.00 nm.
‡ The average pore diameter was estimated using the desorption
branch of the isotherm and BJH model.
micropores. From the BJH pore size distribution plots
depicted in Figure 5b, the pore sizes of TC and MTC are
mainly distributed in the range of 2 to 16 nm. While for
the ATC and BTC samples, the pore diameter distribution
range becomes broad because of the formation of more
mesopores.
Optical Properties Analysis
UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was
employed to investigate the light absorption ability and
bandgap energy of the samples. As shown in Figure 6a,
the light absorption edge of TiO2 is about 390 nm, while
that of TC is broadened to about 450 nm, indicating the
positive role of clinoptilolite support. Moreover, the light
absorption edge of three ternary composites is further
enlarged due to the formation of heterojunction between
TiO2 and the photosensitive semiconductor materials (Ag,
MoS2, and BiOCl). All ternary composites can be moti-
vated under visible light to generate e−/h+ pairs. E.g., of the
samples can be determined by the following formula [18]:
h A_h E
g
n/2 o o =-i (3)
Herein, α, hν, A, and Eg, represent the absorption coeffi-
cient, photon energy, constant, and bandgap, respectively.
Particularly, the value of n depends on semiconductor char-
acteristics. For direct transition semiconductor, n is equal
to 1, while it is 4 for the indirect transition semiconduc-
tor. Since TiO2 is a direct transition semiconductor, the Eg,
value can be determined through the plot of (Ahν)1/2 versus
hν. While MoS2 and BiOCl belong to indirect transition
semiconductors. From the result of Figure 6b, the Eg, values
of ATC, MTC, and BTC are estimated to be 2.07, 1.45
and 2.56 eV, which are obtained according to the tangent
intercept to the X-axis. The smaller bandgap energies of ter-
nary composites indicate that more photogenerated carriers
will be produced under the same irradiation conditions.
Photocatalytic Performance Evaluation
Photodegradation Efficiency and Reaction Kinetics
Since the TC binary composite photocatalyst can only be
excited by UV light, Figure 7a exhibits the photodegrada-
tion efficiencies of TiO2 and TC under UV irradiation.
Besides, the blank control group, NC and ALC are uti-
lized to highlight the photoactivity of TC. The decomposi-
tion of SIPX in blank control group may be ascribed to
the high-energy density of UV light and thus can degrade
part of contamination directly. It is found that the SIPX
Figure 5. (a) N
2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and (b) BJH pore size distribution plots of NC, ALC, TiO
2 ,TC, ATC, MTC
and BTC samples
Table 2. The pore textural properties of different samples
Sample SBET, m2/g* V, cm3/g† d, nm‡
NC 34.66 0.1363 18.74
ALC 181.74 0.1700 13.24
TiO2 32.84 0.1586 16.31
TC 78.16 0.2868 15.75
ATC 59.26 0.2840 19.26
MTC 71.49 0.2838 10.99
BTC 51.99 0.2258 17.74
*The specific surface area was calculated by the BET method.
† The pore volume was obtained from the BJH desorption
cumulative volume of pores between 1.70 and 300.00 nm.
‡ The average pore diameter was estimated using the desorption
branch of the isotherm and BJH model.