Synthesis and Characterization of TiO2/Ti3C2 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Treatment of Dye-Contaminated Wastewater

The treatment of wastewater, including organic dyes, is considered one of the significant environmental challenges in various industries. In this study, the TiO2/Ti3C2 photocatalytic composite was synthesized and evaluated with the aim of enhancing the performance of TiO2 in the removal of organic pollutants. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the presence of the anatase phase of TiO2 and the MXene phase of Ti3C2. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) images demonstrated a uniform distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles, sized between 30 and 60 nm, on the surfaces of the MXene sheets. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis revealed an increase in the specific surface area of the composite to 81 m²/g compared to 63 m²/g for pure TiO2. The band gap of the composite was significantly reduced to 2.66 eV in comparison to TiO2, enabling improved absorption of visible light. Photoluminescence spectrophotometer (PL) spectra verified a decrease in the electron-hole recombination rate within the composite. The photocatalytic activity of the composite exhibited superior performance in one cycle, achieving 45% degradation of methylene blue compared to 29% by pure TiO2. These results indicate that the incorporation of Ti3C2 MXene into TiO2 considerably enhances its photocatalytic properties.