| Title: | Thermally activated composite ▫$Y_2O_3-bTiO_2$▫ as an efficient photocatalyst for degradation of azo dye reactive black 5 |
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| Authors: | ID Jovanović, Aleksandar (Author)
ID Bugarčić, Mladen (Author)
ID Petrović, Jelena (Author)
ID Simić, Marija (Author)
ID Žagar, Kristina, Institut "Jožef Stefan" (Author)
ID Kovač, Janez, Institut "Jožef Stefan" (Author)
ID Sokić, Miroslav (Author) |
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| Files: |  URL - Source URL, visit https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/1/8
 PDF - Presentation file, download (4,39 MB)
MD5: 89744AE2AB901FE0BBD0F45CFD380497
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  IJS - Jožef Stefan Institute
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| Abstract: | Water pollution from textile effluents poses serious environmental risks, particularly due to persistent anionic dyes such as Reactive Black 5 (RB5). This study demonstrates that simple deposition of Y2O3 onto commercially available, biobased TiO2 (bTiO2) significantly enhances photocatalytic degradation efficiency under simulated sunlight, suppressing rapid recombination of electron–hole pairs. Addressing a key research gap, the proposed method replaces expensive nanoscale precursors and complex synthesis routes typically used for Y2O3/TiO2 systems with a low-cost, straightforward approach involving weak complexation and co-precipitation. The resulting Y2O3-bTiO2 composite was characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, XPS, and UV-DRS techniques, confirming efficient incorporation of Y2O3 on the TiO2 surface. Photocatalytic experiments revealed that nanoparticles calcined at 700 °C achieved complete RB5 degradation within 60 min—reducing the reaction time by half compared to undoped bTiO2. Systematic studies of initial dye concentration, catalyst loading, and irradiation time confirmed that the degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics with a rate constant of 0.064 min−1 (R2 = 0.98). Calculated quantum yields corroborated the reduced electron–hole recombination induced by Y2O3 deposition. These findings highlight the novelty and practicality of the developed Y2O3-bTiO2 photocatalyst as an efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable material for the degradation of industrial dyes. |
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| Keywords: | quantum yield, synthetic dyes, UV irraddiation |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Submitted for review: | 17.11.2025 |
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| Article acceptance date: | 16.12.2025 |
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| Publication date: | 19.12.2025 |
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| Publisher: | MDPI |
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| Year of publishing: | 2026 |
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| Number of pages: | str. 1-19 |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 31, iss. 1, [article no.] 8 |
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| Source: | Švica |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-25188  |
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| UDC: | 544.3/.4 |
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| ISSN on article: | 1420-3049 |
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| DOI: | 10.3390/molecules31010008 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 264465155 |
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| Copyright: | © 2025 by the authors. |
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| Note: | Nasl. z nasl. zaslona;
Soavtorja iz Slovenije: Kristina Žagar Soderžnik, Janez Kovač;
Opis vira z dne 13. 1. 2026;
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 13.01.2026 |
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| Views: | 142 |
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| Downloads: | 88 |
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