Eco-Friendly Photocatalytic Solutions: Synthesized TiO Nanoparticles in Cellulose Membranes for Enhanced Degradation of Indigo Carmine Dye.

This study focuses on comparing the efficiency of commercially available TiO (P25) with synthesized TiO nanoparticles (TiONP) impregnated in nonmodified cellulose membranes, specifically targeting the degradation of Indigo Carmine (IC) dye. We developed a novel method to enhance the interaction between cellulose and TiO, thereby improving efficiency and reusability. This involves dissolving microcrystalline cellulose in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMImCl) and dispersing the TiO samples within this solution. The resulting cellulose membrane embedded with TiO nanoparticles (TiONP) exhibited a higher adsorption capacity and greater photocatalytic efficiency against IC compared to that of P25. This improvement is attributed to the larger surface area and increased reactivity of the synthesized TiONPs. Furthermore, the CEL_TiONP membranes demonstrated excellent stability and reusability, maintaining their catalytic efficiency over multiple cycles. This study presents new opportunities for developing efficient, reusable photocatalytic materials for environmental remediation using eco-friendly cellulose.