TiO2 modified orthocortical and paracortical cells having enhanced photocatalytic degradation and photoreduction properties.

In this study, cortical cells resultant from wool fibers were loaded with TiO2 nanoparticles in a hydrothermal process and were then engineered as organic-nonorganic hybrid composite photocatalysts for both photodegradation of organic dyes and photoreduction of heavy metal ions. The microstructure and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 modified cortical cells (i.e. both orthocortical and paracortical cells) were systematically characterized using a series of analytical techniques including FESEM, TEM, element analysis, Mott-Schottky curve, BET specific surface area, Zeta potentials, as well as XRD, FTIR, XPS, DRS, PL, UPS, EDS and ESR spectra. Their photocatalytic performance and trapping experiments of the TiO2 modified cortical cells were measured in the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye and Congo Red (CR) dye as well as the photoreduction of Cr(VI) ions under visible light irradiation. It was found that anatase TiO2 nanoparticles were chemically grafted on the surface of the two cortical cells via O-Ti4+/O-Ti3+ bonds, and that TiO2 nanoparticles were formed inside the orthocortical cells in the hydrothermal process. The TiO2 modified orthocortical and paracortical cells possessed much higher photocatalytic efficiency than the commercially available TiO2 nanoparticle powder, Degussa P25, in the photodegradation of cationic MB dye and photoreduction of Cr(VI) ions, while their photocatalytic efficiency in the photodegradation of anionic CR dye is smaller because of their greater negative Zeta potentials and photogenerated holes as the main reactive radical species. In comparison with the TiO2 modified paracortical cells, the higher photocatalytic efficiency of the TiO2 modified orthocortical cells was demonstrated in the photodegradation of MB dye solution and this might be due to both the S-doped TiO2 nanoparticles infiltrated into the naturally hydrophilic orthocortical cells and the primary reactive radical species of photogenerated holes being trapped in the cells.

Effects of Ion Characteristics on the Leaching of Weathered Crust Elution-Deposited Rare Earth Ore.

To reveal the ion-exchange mechanism in the leaching process of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores with different leaching agents, the effects of a variety of cations and anions at different concentrations on the leaching process were investigated, including Al3+, Fe3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH 4 + and Cl-, NO 3 - , and SO 4 2 - . Meanwhile, the relationships between different concentrations of cations and anions and leaching efficiency were investigated, as was the relationship between different concentrations of cations and anions and zeta potential. The effect of different ions on the swelling of clay minerals during leaching process was also investigated. The results shown that NH 4 + was the most affected electrolyte cation in terms of rare earth leaching efficiency during the leaching process of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore among three different cationic valence states, and the leaching efficiency was 86.93% at the optimal leaching concentration. The influence of the three anions on the leaching efficiency of rare earth was NO 3 - > Cl - > SO 4 2 - , and the leaching efficiency of rare earth were 83.21, 81.52, and 80.12% at the optimal leaching concentration, respectively. The NH 4 + had the greatest effect on the zeta potential of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore, and the zeta potential was -18.1 mV at the optimal leaching concentration. Additionally, the order of the effect of three anions on zeta potential was SO 4 2 - > NO 3 - > Cl - . Combined with the effect on the rare earth leaching process, anions and cations were considered separately, and NH 4 + and Cl- were selected; the relationship between the rare earth leaching efficiency and zeta potential conforms to the follow equations: NH 4 + :Y = -0.48X2 - 13.51X - 1.58, R 2 = 0.98133 and Cl-:Y= -1.22X2 - 17.64X + 23.29, R 2 = 0.99010. It was also found in the swelling experiment of the weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore that the swelling ratio of clay minerals was the lowest when the cation and anion were NH 4 + and Cl- and the swelling ratios were 1.874 and 2.015%, respectively.