Preparation of activated carbon (AC)-loaded TiO2 adsorbent

Titanium dioxide is an effective adsorbent on the removal of arsenic from drinking water. Using three different methods: (a) directly using TiOSO4 solution, (b) using the precursor of TiO2, (c) using TiO2 sol-gel, one composite adsorbent was synthesized by loading titanium dioxide on activated carbon(TiO2/AC) with titanyl sulfate (TiOSO4) and activated carbon as raw materials. The phase compositions and morphology of the adsorbent were characterized by using XRD and SEM. According to the TG/DTA results of TiOSO4, it is easy to see that there is no TiO2 crystalline phase appears below 400 degrees C, and only anatase phase can be found at 400-700 degrees C. The presence of SO42- restrained the transformation of anatase to rutile. The TiO2 loading on the AC surface is anatase phase by using the precursor of TiO2 and TiO2 sol-gel, when the calcination temperature is 400 degrees C. At the same time, the distribution of TiO2 is more uniform and immobilized on the AC surface by using TiO2 sol-gel than using other two methods.