Effect of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Growth and Biomass Accumulation in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

The use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) is gaining interest in agriculture because of their impact on many aspects of plant growth. The present study examines the effects of nTiO2 (5 nm and 10 nm) applied to seeds and the seedlings as a foliar application on various aspects of growth characteristics and biomass accumulation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa, cv. Grand Rapids). Application of 10 nm nTiO2 to seeds through imbibition resulted in a significant reduction in shoot biomass accumulation while 5 nm nTiO2 did not affect the biomass accumulation in lettuce. The application of 10 nm nTiO2 reduced the fresh shoot biomass accumulation by about 18% compared to the control plants. Other growth characteristics such as shoot dry biomass, root fresh and dry biomass, plant height, and leaf area were not affected by the application of both 5 nm and 10 nm nTiO2. In addition, foliar application of these nanoparticles to the lettuce seedlings did not have a significant effect on most of the growth parameters examined, and the increasing concentration ranging from 5 nm/L to 400 mg/L did not produce a consistent response in lettuce. Thus, nTiO2 application to lettuce seeds had a notable negative impact on shoot growth while foliar application did not have a significant effect on many plant growth characteristics. However, foliar applications produced some symptoms of toxicity to the foliage in the form of necrotic or chlorotic patches on the leaves, which were more pronounced with increasing concentrations of both 5 nm and 10 nm nTiO2. However, these symptoms were apparent at a concentration as low as 50 mg/L of nTiO2. Thus, foliar application of nTiO2 may not have a significant impact on many of the growth characteristics in lettuce, but it can result in foliar toxicity.

Co-doping of Iron and Cerium in Titanium Dioxide: Observation of a Cooperative Effect

The co-doping of iron and cerium into TiO2 was studied by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, when separately doping via the sol-gel method, iron was introduced in the fralnework of anatase TiO2 whereas cerium was not; interestingly, both iron and cerium were introduced in tile framework when co-doping by the sol-gel method. The co-doped TiO2 behaves much more intense surface hydroxyl concentration than the separately-doped and pure TiO2. This observation demonstrates for the first time a cooperative effect in the co-doping of transitional metals in the framework of TiO2.

Behavior of titanium dioxide in alumina carbothermic reduction-chlorination process in vacuum

Behaviors of TiO2 in the alumina carbothermic reduction and chlorination process in vacuum at different temperatures were investigated experimentally by means of XRD,SEM and EDS.In the preparation of materials,the molar ratio of Al2O3 to C was 1：4,and 10% TiO2 and excess AlCl3 were added.The results show that TiC is produced by C and TiO2 after TiO2 transforms from anatase into rutile gradually.In the temperature range of 1 763？1 783 K,the compounds of Ti and Al are not found in slags and condensate.The purity of aluminum reaches 98.35%,and TiO2 does not participate in alumina carbothermic reduction process and chlorination process in vacuum.

Experimental studies on photocatalytic oxidation of nitric oxides using titanium dioxide

In order to remove nitric oxides （NO） from flue gas, experimental studies on the photocatalytic oxidation （PCO） of NO are carried out in an efficient laboratory-scale reactor. Nano-sized TiO2 particles loading on quartz sand are prepared and used as the photocatalyst. Effects of several key operating parameters on NO conversion are investigated, including operating temperature, NO inlet concentration, oxygen percentage, relative humidity and residence time. The results illustrate that the NO inlet concentration, the oxygen percentage and the relative humidity play an important role in the oxidation of NO. A lower NO inlet concentration and a higher oxygen percentage result in a higher NO conversion efficiency. When the relative humidity is 8%, the maximum value of NO conversion efficiency is achieved. In addition, the operating temperature and the residence time have a little effect on the conversion efficiency of NO.

Preparation, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of Fe, La Co-doped Nanometer Titanium Dioxide Photocatalysts

A series of photocatalysts of un-doped, single-doped and co-doped nanometer titanium diox- ide （TiO2） have been successfully prepared by template method using Fe（NO3）3.9H2O, La（NO3）3.6H2O, and tetrabutyl titanate as precursors and glucan as template. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurement were employed to characterize the morphology, crystal structure and surface structure of the samples. The photo-absorbance of the obtained catalysts was measured by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, and the photocatalytic activities of the prepared samples under UV and visible light were estimated by measuring the degradation rate of methyl orange in an aqueous solution. The characterizations indicated that the prepared photocatalysts consisted of anatase phase and possessed high surface area of ca. 163-176 m2/g. It was shown that the Fe and La co-doped nano-TiO2 could be activated by visible light and could thus be used as an effective catalyst in photo-oxidation reactions. The synergistic effect of Fe and La co-doping played an important role in improving the photocatalytic activity. In addition, the possibility of cyclic usage of co-doped nano-TiO2 was also confirmed, the photocatalytic activity of codoped nano-TiO2 remained above 89.6% of the fresh sample after being used four times.

Preparation, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity of Lanthanum Doped Mesoporous Titanium Dioxide

Lanthanum doped mesoporous titanium dioxide photocatalysts with different La content were synthesized by template method using tetrabutyltitanate （Ti（OC4H9）4） as precursor and Pluronic P123 as template. The catalysts were characterized by thermogravimetric dif ferential thermal analysis, N2 adsorption-desorption measurements, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis adsorption spectroscopy. The effect of La3＋ doping concentration from 0.1% to 1% on the photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO2 was investigated. The characterizations indicated that the photocatalysts possessed a homogeneous pore diameter of about 10 nm with high surface area of 165 m2/g. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements in- dicated the presence of C in the doped samples in addition to La. Compared with pure mesoporous TiO2, the La-doped samples extended the photoabsorption edge into the visible light region. The results of phenol photodecomposition showed that La-doped mesoporous TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than pure mesoporous TiO2 under UV and visible light irradiation.

Preparation of titanium powders by calciothermic reduction of titanium dioxide

To develop an effective process for titanium powders production, a calciothermic reduction process of pigment titanium dioxide （w（TiO2）〉98%）, based on the preform reduction process （PRP）, was investigated by means of XRD, SEM and EDS. In this process, the mixture of TiO2 powder and CaC12 was pressed into pieces as feed preform and was reduced by calcium vapor. Titanium powders was recovered after leaching from the reduced preform with hydrochloric acid and deionized water. The results indicate when the mass ratio of CaC12 to TiO2 is about 1：4 and at a constant temperature of 1 273 K for 6 h in vacuum furnace, titanium powders with 99.55% purity by EDS analysis and irregular shape （8-15 μm in particle size） are obtained.

Supercritical synthesis of platinum-modified titanium dioxide for solar fuel production from carbon dioxide

This paper investigates the properties of TiO2‐based photocatalysts synthesised under supercriticalconditions.Specifically,the characteristics of Pt dispersed on TiO2catalysts obtained in supercriticalCO2are discussed and compared with those of commercial TiO2.The photocatalytic activity of thesynthesised catalysts in the CO2photoreduction reaction to produce solar fuel is tested.The mainconclusion of the study is that photocatalysts with better or similar features,including high surfacearea,crystallisation degree,hydroxyl surface concentration,pore volume,absorbance in the visiblerange and methane production rate,to those of commercial TiO2may be produced for the reductionof CO2to fuel by synthesis in supercritical media.

Photoelectrochemical degradation of acetaminophen and valacyclovir using nanoporous titanium dioxide

Electrochemically treated nanoporous TiO2 was employed as a novel electrode to assist in the pho- toelectrochemical degradation of acetaminophen and valacyclovir. The prepared electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）. Cyclic voltammetry （CV）, Mott-Schottky plots, ultraviolet-visible light （UV-vis） absorbance spec- troscopy, and a total organic carbon （TOC） analyzer were employed to investigate the photoelec- trochemical degradation of acetaminophen and valacyclovir. The results indicated no obvious re- moval of acetaminophen and valacyclovir over 3 h when separate photochemical degradation and electrochemical oxidation were employed. In contrast, acetaminophen and valacyclovir were rapid- ly eliminated via photoelectrochemical degradation. In addition, electrochemically treated nanopo~ rous TiO2 electrodes significantly enhanced the efficacy of the photoelectrochemical degradation of acetaminophen and valacyclovir, by 86.96% and 53.12%, respectively, when compared with un- treated nanoporous TiO2 electrodes. This enhanced performance may have been attributed to the formation of Ti3~, Ti2~, and oxygen vacancies, as well as an improvement in conductivity during the electrochemical reduction process. The effect of temperature was further investigated, where the activation energy of the photoelectrochemical degradation of acetaminophen and valacyclovir was determined to be 9.62 and 18.42 kJ/mol, respectively.

A Review of the Production Cycle of Titanium Dioxide Pigment

Titanium is a very important element for several industrial applications, being one of the ninth most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust (0.63% wt). In this work it will discuss the different mining and industrial activities involved in the production of titanium dioxide. The first step analyzed will treat about the beneficiation mining process of titanium mineral, and secondly, it will discuss the two main processes of the TiO2 manufacturing (sulphate and chloride routes). In addition, we will show different uses of the titanium dioxide pigment as filler in paper, plastics and rubber industries and as flux in glass manufacture, etc. Finally, we will show that the old wastes are currently called co-products since they were valorized, being commercialized by the Spanish industry of TiO2 production in different fields such as agriculture, civil engineering, or cement manufacturing.

Photocatalytic Reaction of Sulfur Dioxide with Heptane in the Gas-phase Over Titanium Dioxide

The photocatalytic reaction of sulfur dioxide with heptane was carried out with the aid of UV illuminated titanium dioxide ultrafine particles(UFP) at room temperature. The TiO 2 UFP was prepared by means of colloidal chemical method. The structure and the surface state of the as prepared TiO 2 UFP via different heat treatments were studied. As the calcining temperature decreased, the contents of hydroxyl on the surface increased, which could help to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the TiO 2 UFP. The mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction of sulfur dioxide with heptane was proposed, in which there was a competition of photocatalytic oxidation between sulfur dioxide and heptane over the TiO 2 UFP. It is inferred that the reactive oxygen species play an important role in the photocatalytic reaction of sulfur dioxide with heptane.

Preparation and photoelectric properties of Ho^(3+)-doped titanium dioxide nanowire downconversion photoanode

Ho^3＋-doped titanium dioxide（TiO2：Ho^3＋） downconversion（DC） nanowires were synthesized through a simple hydrothermal method followed by a subsequent calcination process after being immersed in Ho（NO3）3 aqueous solution. Moreover, TiO2：Ho^3＋ nanowires（HTNWs） were used as the photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells（DSSCs） to investigate their photoelectric properties. Scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and X-ray diffraction（XRD） were used to characterize the morphology and structure of the material, respectively. The photofluorescence and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra of HTNWs reveal a DC from the near and middle ultraviolet light to visible light which matches the strong absorbed region of the N719 dye. Compared with the pure TNW photoanode, HTNWs DC photoanodes show greater photovoltaic efficiency. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency（η） of the DSSCs with HTNWs photoanode doped with 4% Ho2O3（mass fraction） is two times that with pure TNW photoanode. This enhancement could be attributed to HTNWs which could extend the spectral response range of DSSCs to the near and middle ultraviolet region and increase the short-circuit current density（Jsc） of DSSCs, thus leading to the enhancement of photovoltaic conversion efficiency.

Preparation of calcium carbonate particles coated with titanium dioxide

The preparation of a new mineral composite material, calcium carbonate particles coated with titanium dioxide, was studied. The mechanism of the preparation process was proposed. The new mineral composite material was made by the mechanoehemieal method under the optimum condition that the mass ratio of calcium carbonate particles to titanium dioxide was 6.5：3.5. The mass ratios of two different types of titanium dioxide （anatase to rutile） and grinding media to grinded materials were 8：2 and 4：1 respectively, and the modified density was 60%. Under this condition, the new material was capable of forming after 120-min modification. The hiding power and oil absorption of this new material were 29.12 g/m^2 and 23.30%, respectively. The results show that the modification is based on surface hydroxylation. After coating with titanium dioxide, the hiding power of calcium carbonate can be improved greatly. The new mineral composite materials can be used as the substitute for titanium dioxide.

Evaluation of the adsorption potential of titanium dioxide nanoparticles for arsenic removal

The adsorption potential of titanium dioxide （TiO2） nanoparticles for removing arsenic from drinking water was evaluated. Pure and iron-doped TiO2 particles are synthesized via sol-gel method. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were then immobilized on ordinary sand for adsorption studies. Adsorption isotherms were conducted on the synthesized nanoparticles as well as the sand coated with TiO2 nanoparticles under varying conditions of air and light, namely, the air-sunlight （A-SL）, air-light （AL）, air-dark （AD） and nitrogen-dark （ND）. X-ray diffraction （XRD） analysis showed that the pure and iron-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were in 100% anatase crystalline phase with crystai sizes of 108 and 65 nm, respectively. Adsorption of arsenic on the three adsorbents was non-linear that could be described by the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models. Iron doping enhanced the adsorption capacity of TiO2 nanoparticles by arresting the grain growth and making it visible light responsive resulting in a higher affinity for arsenic. Similarly, the arsenic removal by adsorption on the sand coated with TiO2 nanoparticles was the highest among the three types of sand used. In all cases, As（V） was adsorbed more compared with As（Ⅲ）. The solution pH appeared to be the most important factor in controlling the amount of arsenic adsorbed.

Preparation of titanium dioxide from titania-rich slag by molten NaOH method

Preparing titanium dioxide from titania-rich slag （TiO2 73wt%） by molten NaOH method has been developed. The effects of temperature and reaction time on the titanium conversion were investigated. The results showed that temperature had significant influence on the titanium conversion as well as the structure of the product. About 92% of titanium in the titania-rich slag could be converted after reacting with NaOH at 500℃ for 1 h. Metatitanic acid was formed through the steps of washing treatment, acid dissolution, and hydrolysis. Well-dispersed spherical titanium dioxide particles with an average size of 0.1-0.4μm can be obtained by calcination of metatitanic acid. In addition, the content of titanium dioxide in the product is up to 98.6wt%, which can be used as pigments after further treatment of coating and crushing.

Photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light with Nd-doped titanium dioxide films

Microporous titanium dioxide films were prepared by the sol-gel methods on glass substrates, using tetrabutyl titanate as source material. In order to absorb the visible light and increase the photocatalytic activities, different concentrations of neodymium ions (Nd/Ti molar ratio was 0.5%, 0.7%, 0.9%, and 1.1% respectively) were added into the sol. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectros-copy (XPS), and atom force microscopy (AFM) were applied to characterize the modified films. A kind of typical textile industry pollutant (Rhodamine B) was used to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of the films under visible light. The results showed that the activities of the films were improved by doping Nd ions into the sol.

Biodegradable starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) film reinforced with titanium dioxide nanoparticles

Biodegradable starch/poly （vinyl alcohol）/nano-titanium dioxide （ST/PVA/nano-Ti02） nanocomposite films were prepared via a solution casting method. Their biodegradability, mechanical properties, and thermal properties were also studied in this paper. A general full factorial experimental approach was used to determine effective parameters on the mechanical properties of the prepared films. ST/PVA/TiO2 nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The results of mechanical analysis show that ST/PVA films with higher contents of PVA have much better mechanical properties. In thermal analysis, it is found that the addition of Ti02 nanoparticles improves the thermal stability of the films. SEM micrographs, taken from the fracture surface of samples, illustrate that the addition of PVA makes the film softer and more flexible. The results of soil burial biodegradation indicate that the biodegradability of ST/PVA/TiO2 films strongly depends on the starch proportion in the film matrix. The degradation rate is increased by the addition of starch in the films.

Mixed Phase Anatase/rutile Titanium Dioxide Nanotubes for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene-blue

Titanium dioxide Nanotubes(TNTs) prepared by electroless deposition have been annealed at air ambient and low temperature. As a result, the anatase/rutile phase composition of the TNTs can be tailored to the needs of later applications. Nanotubes with anatase/rutile mixed phase ratio of 4:1 have been produced in this report and further examined for their photocatalytical behavior. The photocatalytical properties of the TNTs have been observed by degradation of methylene-blue in aqueous solution under low power UV-light irradiation. The results shown in this report are based on the synergetic effect between rutile and anatase,which results in the mixed phase TiO 2 nanotubes having enhanced photocatalytical properties.

Titanium dioxide induced inflammation in the small intestine

AIM:To investigate the effects of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPTiO 2 ) and microparticles (MPTiO 2 ) on the inflammatory response in the small intestine of mice. METHODS: Bl 57/6 male mice received distilled water suspensions containing TiO 2 (100 mg/kg body weight) as NPTiO 2 (66 nm), or MPTiO 2 (260 nm) by gavage for 10 d, once a day; the control group received only distilled water. At the end of the treatment the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were extracted for assessment of cytokines, inflammatory cells and titanium content. The cytokines interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-17, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), intracellular interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in segments of jejunum and ileum (mucosa and underlying muscular tissue). CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells were evaluated in duodenum, jejunum and ileum samples fixed in 10% formalin by immuno-histochemistry. The titanium content was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. RESULTS: We found increased levels of T CD4 + cells (cells/mm 2 ) in duodenum:NP 1240 ± 139.4, MP 1070 ± 154.7 vs 458 ± 50.39 (P < 0.01); jejunum:NP 908.4 ± 130.3, MP 813.8 ± 103.8 vs 526.6 ± 61.43 (P < 0.05); and ileum:NP 818.60 ± 123.0, MP 640.1 ± 32.75 vs 466.9 ± 22.4 (P < 0.05). In comparison to the control group, the groups receiving TiO 2 showed a statistically significant increase in the levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-12, IL-4, IL-23, TNF-α, IFN-γ and TGF-β. The cytokine production was more pronounced in the ileum (mean ± SE):IL-12: NP 33.98 ± 11.76, MP 74.11 ± 25.65 vs 19.06 ± 3.92 (P < 0.05); IL-4: NP 17.36 ± 9.96, MP 22.94 ± 7.47 vs 2.19 ± 0.65 (P < 0.05); IL-23: NP 157.20 ± 75.80, MP 134.50 ± 38.31 vs 22.34 ± 5.81 (P < 0.05); TNFα: NP 3.71 ± 1.33, MP 5.44 ± 1.67 vs 0.99± 019 (P < 0.05); IFNγ: NP 15.85 ± 9.99, MP 34.08 ± 11.44 vs 2.81 ± 0.69 (P < 0.05); and TGF-β: NP 780.70 ± 318.50, MP 1409.00 ± 502.20 vs 205.50 ± 63.93 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION:Our findings indicate that TiO2 particles induce a Th1-mediated inflammatory response in the small bowel in mice.

Plasma Induced Grafting of PMMA onto Titanium Dioxide Powder

Grafting of polymer of methyl methacrylate （PMMA） onto titanium dioxide powder is investigated in this paper. The graft polymerization reaction is induced by dielectric-barrier- discharge produced N2 plasma treatment of titanium dioxide surfaces. IR, XPS and TGA results show that PMMA is grafted onto the surfaces of titanium dioxide powder. And crystal structure of the titanium dioxide powder observed with XRD spectra is unchanged after plasma graft polymerization.