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High-Performance Ti–Ni Nanocomposites for Wastewater Photoremediation
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1  Physics Department and Laser Centre, ISI-SIR (CsNano), Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Academic Editor: Vincenzo Vaiano

Abstract:

Synthetic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO), are widely released from textile industries and pose a serious global health concern due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic properties, threatening public health and disrupting natural ecosystems. In this study, titanium-nickel nanocomposites (Ti-Ni NCs) were synthesized using the pulse laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) method for efficient dye removal applications. The optical and chemical properties of TiO2 NPs, NiO NPs, and Ti-Ni NCs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), fluorescence (FL), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The UV-Vis spectra exhibited a prominent absorption peak at ~361 nm in the UV region, while Tauc plot analysis showed a significant bandgap blue shift upon incorporation of NiO into TiO2 NPs. FTIR spectra showed the presence of Ti-O, Ni-O, and Ti-O-Ni vibrational bands, proving the interfacial interaction between TiO2 and NiO upon mixing. The Ti-Ni NCs revealed enhanced photocatalytic activity, achieving up to 97.1% degradation of MB and 89.6% MO removal within 45 minutes, showing advanced photocatalytic properties under UV light irradiation. This enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effect between TiO2 and NiO, which forms a p-n heterojunction, effectively improving charge separation efficiency. These findings proposed the potential of high-purity PLAL-synthesized Ti-Ni NCs as advanced photocatalysts for wastewater remediation.

Keywords: Ti-Ni NCs; PLAL; optical properties; dye removal; wastewater treatment

 
 
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