Anatase TiO2@MIL-101(Cr) nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A

A series of anatase TiO2@MIL-101(Cr) was synthesized using the solvothermal method for photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). The characterization of the composites showed that they had an octahedral shape that was similar to that of MIL-101(Cr), but the particle size was reduced to about 300-500 nm. The amount and surface area of the TiO2 in the composites jointly influenced the photocatalytic degradation; in optimal conditions, 59 % TiO2@MIL-101(Cr) could achieve 99.4 % BPA degradation in 240 min under UV irradiation. This superior photocatalytic performance was the result of the effective separation of electron-hole pairs and a narrow band gap. Moreover, the optimal composite exhibited excellent stability, indicating its suitability for reuse. Reasonable pathways of BPA degradation were proposed based on the detected intermediates during the degradation, where the oxidative radical O-2(-) played a dominant role.