SYNTHESIS OF TITANIUM DIOXIDE-POLYOXOMETALATE NANOCOMPOSITE FILMS SUPPORTED ON INDIUM TIN OXIDE PLATES BY ELECTRODEPOSITION FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC DECOLOURIZATION OF DYES
S. Clara Anthoniamma and, H. Gurumallesh Prabu
Abstract
Copper hetero poly acid and tungsten hetero poly acid compounds were used as model polyoxometalates. Sol was prepared using polyoxometalate and TiO2 derived from titanium tetraisopropoxide. This sol was electrodeposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) plate. The TiO2-polyoxometalate nanocomposite was formed on the surface of ITO as film. The film thus obtained was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, UV-DRS, AFM and PL analyses. XRD results indicate the presence of TiO2and polyoxometalate in the nanocomposite film. FT-IR results show the existence of metal-oxygen-metal linkage in the composite. Narrow band gap noticed from UV-DRS spectra reveals the interaction of POM with TiO2. The nanocomposite film was tested for photocatalytic activity in the decolourization of model pollutant dyes such as Reactive Red 2 (RR2) and Disperse Yellow 231 (DY231). The decolourization efficiency and reusability of tungsten based composite film was higher than that of copper based composite film.