In this work, we report on the photocatalytic properties of β-FeOOH/TiO2 heterojunction material for the inactivation of Escherischia coli. XRD, HRTEM, EELS, ELNEFS were used to characterize the as-prepared material. A log reduction of the initial bacterial population was achieved after 45 min of irradiation in the presence of 0.1 mL of hydrogen peroxide. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was due to the effective charge transfer between Ti4+, Fe3+, and O2+ as shown from the EELS analysis of the heterojunction structure. The role of various reactive species formed due to the photocatalytic reaction was also investigated. Presence of •OH radicals in the bulk solution was the key factor in the photocatalytic inactivation of E. coli.
Part of the book: Semiconductor Photocatalysis
In this research, synthesis of β-FeOOH nanoparticles was carried out using different alcohol/water mixed solvents. Four different alcohols were mixed with water to form solution of different surface tension. A relationship between particle size and surface tension has been drawn from theoretical analysis. A linear relationship was shown to exist between surface tension and particle size under the reported conditions. Statistically designed experiments were conducted to evaluate the interactions of process parameters on the particle growth. A generic correlation has also been developed empirically to predict particle size.
Part of the book: Advanced Chemical Kinetics