Design and Fabrication of TiO2/Lignocellulosic Carbon Materials: Relevance of Low‐temperature Sonocrystallization to Photocatalysts Performance

Abstract We present a facile and green approach to produce crystalline TiO 2 nanoparticles on a surface of different carbonaceous materials derived from lignocellulosic biomass such as STARBON‐800 ® obtained by carbonization at 800 °C and biochar‐SWP700 (Soft Wood Pellets (SWP) obtained by pyrolysis at 700 °C) via novel low‐temperature ultrasound‐promoted green methodology coupled with citric acid as a cross‐linking agent. In comparison to other methods, the developed method has several significant benefits such as simplicity, great ability to get crystalline TiO 2 particles (elimination of high‐temperature treatment (material calcination at >300 °C) needed in the conventional sol‐gel method, which is extremely important in transforming amorphous TiO 2 into a photoactive crystalline phase) elimination of risky chemicals and oxidizing agent, and also ability to change some parameters (e. g. ultrasound intensity). Prepared materials were characterized by XRD, DR UV−vis, N 2 physisorption, HR‐XPS, XRF, HR‐TEM, FT‐IR and subsequently tested for their photocatalytic activities both in photocatalytic phenol degradation (in water) and oxidation of methanol (in air) under UV and visible light irradiation.