In situ synthesis of "brick and mortar"-type lignin-derived carbon/TiO2 composite with a remarkable photocatalytic performance

作者：Zhang, Binpeng; Yang, Dongjie^*; Lin, Wensheng; Wang, Huan; Qian, Yong; Qiu, Xueqing^*

来源：JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY, 2021, 97: 216-225.

DOI：10.1016/j.jiec.2021.01.040

• Alkali lignin
• Lignin-derived carbon
• TiO2
• Composite photocatalyst
• Photodegradation

Alkali lignin (AL), an industrial waste from pulping black liquor, is mainly applied as a low-grade combustible energy source. Design and preparation of high value-added materials with AL is still a challenge. In this work, we firstly introduced ammonium group into AL and prepared quaternized alkali lignin (QAL) for improving the solubility in acidic aqueous solution. Then a facile sol-gel and carbonization process was developed to fabricate lignin-derived carbon/TiO2 (LC/TiO2) composite photocatalyst using QAL as the carbon precursor. The microstructural characteristics and optical property of the LC/TiO2 composite were systematically characterized. Composite exhibited a "brick (TiO2 nanoparticles) and mortar (LC)"-type construction, and TiO2 nanoparticles were coated with LC. The introduction of LC endowed TiO2 with extended photoabsorption region and enhanced separation of photo-generated charge carriers. LC/TiO2 obtained at a carbonization temperature of 650 degrees C presented the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic dye, which was about 3.4 times that of bare TiO2. Moreover, LC/TiO2 also presented good recyclability. This facile strategy not only offers great opportunities for the high value-added application of industrial lignin, but also promotes the practical application of TiO2 photocatalyst.

• 单位
  河南工业大学; 广东工业大学