Characterization of titanium oxide optical band gap produced from leachate sludge treatment with titanium tetrachloride.

This study investigated the coagulation performance of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl) for leachate treatment and preparation of titanium oxide (TiO) from generated sludge through calcination process at different temperatures and times. TiCl with chitosan as coagulant aid employed to perform coagulation process on Alor Ponhsu Landfill leachate. Further calcination process was done to synthesize TiO from produced sludge for photocatalytic applications. The studied factors included pH, TiCl dosage, and chitosan dosage. The results indicated that maximum reduction in suspended solids was 92.02% at pH 4, 1200 mg/L TiCl, and 250 mg/L chitosan addition, and maximum reduction in chemical oxygen demand was 71.92% at experimental condition of 1200 mg/L TiCl and 500 mg/L chitosan with pH 10. The maximum and minimum band gaps of prepared TiO achieved at 3.35 eV and 2.75 eV, respectively. Morphology and phase analysis of prepared TiO characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD spectrums showed the anatase phase at lower calcination temperature and the rutile phase at elevated temperature. The photocatalysis activity of produced TiO investigated under UV irradiation and showed almost fast degradation similar to commercial TiO. The results indicated that TiO powder was successfully prepared from generated sludge from TiCl coagulation for photocatalytic applications.