Materials, Methods & Technologies, Volume 8, 2014

Abstract: The nanodimensional TiO₂–ZnO composites in different weight ratios 1:1; 1:2 and 2:1 were prepared by mechanochemical activation. As starting materials were used ZnO synthesized by precipitation and commercial TiO₂. The phase composition and structure of obtained mechanochemically activated nanosized TiO₂–ZnO samples were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The produced materials were examined as catalysts for degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye under UV light. The results show the relation between photocatalytic activity of prepared samples TiO₂–ZnO and stoichiometric ratio of TiO₂ and ZnO in the mixture. The rate constants of dye degradation increase as follows TiO₂–ZnO (1:2) (2.16 × 10⁻² min⁻¹) < TiO₂–ZnO (2:1) (2.45 × 10⁻² min⁻¹) < TiO₂–ZnO (1:1) (2.60 × 10⁻² min⁻¹).