Enhancing the Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 Nanoparticles with Cyclodextrin-Functionalized Graphene and Noble Metals for Organic Pollutant Degradation

Contamination of water resources by organic pollutants is a major environmental issue. Utilizing photocatalytic materials for the degradation of these pollutants presents a viable strategy for environmental clean-up. This study introduces the synthesis of an organic/inorganic hybrid photocatalyst of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The nanocomposite was characterized by using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and EDAX, and the photocatalytic activity was studied by measuring the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar radiation. The synthesized nanocomposite showed excellent stability and performance, with up to 92% photodegradation of MB. To further enhance the photocatalytic activity, the synthesized nanocomposite underwent modification with Ag and Pt nanoparticles. Within 90 min, photodegradation rates of 100% and 97% for MB were attained with Pt and Ag nanoparticles that were loaded at 5 wt.%, respectively. The photocatalyst’s reusability was evaluated through multiple usage cycles. Additionally, the impact of functionalization on the band gap alteration of TiO2 is reported.