Preparation and Photocatalytic Properties of AlO-SiO-TiO Porous Composite Semiconductor Ceramics.

Titanium dioxide (TiO) is widely employed in the catalytic degradation of wastewater, owing to its robust stability, superior photocatalytic efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Nonetheless, isolating the fine particulate photocatalysts from the solution post-reaction poses a significant challenge in practical photocatalytic processes. Furthermore, these particles have a tendency to agglomerate into larger clusters, which diminishes their stability. To address this issue, the present study has developed AlO-SiO-TiO composite semiconductor porous ceramics and has systematically explored the influence of AlO and SiO on the structure and properties of TiO porous ceramics. The findings reveal that the incorporation of AlO augments the open porosity of the ceramics and inhibits the aggregation of TiO, thereby increasing the catalytic site and improving the light absorption capacity. On the other hand, the addition of SiO enhances the bending strength of the ceramics and inhibits the conversion of anatase to rutile, thereby further enhancing its photocatalytic activity. Consequently, at an optimal composition of 55 wt.% AlO, 40 wt.% TiO, and 5 wt.% SiO, the resulting porous ceramics exhibit a methylene blue removal rate of 91.50%, and even after undergoing five cycles of testing, their catalytic efficiency remains approximately 83.82%. These outcomes underscore the exceptional photocatalytic degradation efficiency, recyclability, and reusability of the AlO-SiO-TiO porous ceramics, suggesting their substantial potential for application in the treatment of dye wastewater, especially for the removal of methylene blue.