Design of novel photoactive modified titanium silicalites and their application for venlafaxine degradation under simulated solar irradiation

Titanium silicalites (TS) are well-known materials for their use in industrial oxidation reactions, and although they are used as photocatalysts, their activity is limited. Therefore, numerous synthetic strategies are investigated to improve their photocatalytic activity. Herein, three series of mod...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cruz Quesada, Guillermo, Sampaio, María J., Espinal Viguri, Maialen, López Ramón, María Victoria, Garrido Segovia, Julián José, Silva, Cláudia G., Faria, Joaquim L.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:Universidad Pública de Navarra
Repositorio:Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
OAI Identifier:oai:academica-e.unavarra.es:2454/48090
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2454/48090
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Antidepressant drug degradation
Modified titanium silicalites
Organotriethoxysilanes
Photocatalysis under solar radiation
Descripción
Sumario:Titanium silicalites (TS) are well-known materials for their use in industrial oxidation reactions, and although they are used as photocatalysts, their activity is limited. Therefore, numerous synthetic strategies are investigated to improve their photocatalytic activity. Herein, three series of modified titanium silicalites are synthesized using three different organotriethoxysilanes at different molar percentages with the aim of modifying the structure of the zeolite, both at a porous and chemical level, to obtain materials with high photocatalytic activity. The study of their morphological, textural, chemical, and UV–vis light absorption properties through various characterization techniques has allowed the selection of the best candidates to test their photoactivity in the degradation of venlafaxine, an antidepressant drug that persists as a contaminant in wastewater and has serious neurotoxic effects. Materials synthesized using a 5% molar percentage of RTEOS and 10% of PhTEOS (Ph = phenyl) are able to degrade venlafaxine, whereas the reference material does not show any photocatalytic activity. These results lead the way to use this synthetic strategy to develop titanium silicates and optimize their photocatalytic activity in degradation reactions of different pollutants.