Analytical Chemistry (journal)

Physics

Engineering

Yield (engineering)

Nuclear chemistry

Physical chemistry

Catalysis

Electrode

Organic chemistry

Enzyme

Band gap

Chemistry

Metallurgy

Materials science

Lactic acid

Dehydrogenase

Dihydroxyacetone

Glycolic acid

Glycerol

Glyceraldehyde

Chemical engineering

Chromatography

Optoelectronics

Bacteria

Genetics

Quantum mechanics

Photocatalysis

Electrolyte

Plasma

Biology

Journal of Alloys and Compounds

Defective black titania (TiO2) was synthesized by the solution plasma technique at ambient temperature and pressure. The effects of the electrolyte solution medium type (KCl and HNO3) and concentration (0.3 and 3.0 mM) as well as the plasma discharge time (1–4 h) with a Ti electrode were investigated. The 3.0 mM HNO3 solution provided the highest energy per second discharging into the plasma, resulting in both a high synthesis rate of black TiO2 and a high degree of defective structures, as monitored in terms of the Ti3+/Ti4+ ratio, which can shorten the band gap energy (Eg) of the obtained black TiO2. A long plasma discharge time (4 h) induced the formation of large particles of black TiO2, which appeared as a highly defective structure. Overall, the black TiO2 prepared by discharged plasma for 4 h in 3.0 mM HNO3 solution (BTN-304) provided the highest photocatalytic activity for glycerol conversion (58.49% at 24 h) and 4.85, 3.32, 2.11, 2.15, 39.15 and 26.61% yield of glyceraldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, hydroxypyruvic acid, glycolic acid, glycolaldehyde and formaldehyde, respectively. Pathway of glycerol conversion and product distribution over black TiO2 was attempted to propose. Finally, the reusability of the best black TiO2 was explored.

Narrowing band gap energy of defective black TiO2 fabricated by solution plasma process and its photocatalytic activity on glycerol transformation