eprintid: 13196 rev_number: 2 eprint_status: archive userid: 1 dir: disk0/00/01/31/96 datestamp: 2023-11-10 03:27:45 lastmod: 2023-11-10 03:27:45 status_changed: 2023-11-10 01:50:34 type: article metadata_visibility: show creators_name: Wongso, V. creators_name: Chung, H.K. creators_name: Sambudi, N.S. creators_name: Sufian, S. creators_name: Abdullah, B. creators_name: Wirzal, M.D.H. creators_name: Ang, W.L. title: Silica�carbon quantum dots decorated titanium dioxide as sunlight-driven photocatalyst to diminish acetaminophen from aquatic environment ispublished: pub note: cited By 20 abstract: The presence of pharmaceutical compound (i.e., acetaminophen) in aquatic environment has been declared as environmental issue since researchers found that it has potential risk to human health. Photocatalytic process as a promising method for waste degradation commonly employs titanium dioxide, TiO2. However, TiO2 has narrow light absorption and rapid charge recombination resulting in ineffective photocatalytic activity. In this study, silica � carbon quantum dots (Si-CQDs) from rice husk are decorated into TiO2 matrix through facile mixing approach to minimize the limitations of TiO2. Preliminary studies regarding TiO2 transformation and Si-CQDs incorporation in various amount were systematically investigated. It is observed that 1 wt is the optimum amount of Si-CQDs in composite in order to maximize the photocatalytic ability of TiO2. Under sunlight irradiation, 1 wt Si-CQDs/TiO2 composite is able to completely degrade 5 mg/L of acetaminophen within 240 min (33.3 faster than pure TiO2). The excellent performance of the composite is attributed to synergistic effect of Si-CQDs addition on TiO2 surface, which acted as photo sensitizer and electron trapper. Si-CQDs extend light absorption of TiO2 by reducing band gap energy from 3.20 to 3.12 eV, as confirmed by UV�vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) spectra. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra and N2 sorption isotherm reveal that Si-CQDs addition prolongs the lifetime of charge separation and improves surface area (17 larger than TiO2), respectively. The composite of Si-CQDs/TiO2 also demonstrates good stability which is beneficial for pharmaceutical waste removal in the future. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. date: 2020 publisher: Elsevier B.V. official_url: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85081650849&doi=10.1016%2fj.jphotochem.2020.112436&partnerID=40&md5=e9b159a83f2e99b288004ace3ff41ae7 id_number: 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2020.112436 full_text_status: none publication: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry volume: 394 refereed: TRUE issn: 10106030 citation: Wongso, V. and Chung, H.K. and Sambudi, N.S. and Sufian, S. and Abdullah, B. and Wirzal, M.D.H. and Ang, W.L. (2020) Silica�carbon quantum dots decorated titanium dioxide as sunlight-driven photocatalyst to diminish acetaminophen from aquatic environment. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 394. ISSN 10106030