Preparation and visible-light photocatalytic property of nanostructured Fe-doped TiO2 from titanium containing electric furnace molten slag

Nanostructured Fe-doped titanium dioxide was synthesized from titanium containing electric furnace molten slag (TCEFMS) by using an alkali fusion, followed by a hydrolyzation-acidolysis-calcination route. The effects of alkali/slag mass ratio, calcinating temperature, calcinating time, and water/slag mass ratio on the extraction efficiency and purity of products were systematically studied in this paper. It is indicated that the best extraction efficiency of nanostructured Fedoped titanium dioxide is 99.35%, when the molten slag is calcinated at 700°C for 1 h with the mass ratio of alkali/molten slag of 1.5:1. The influence of alkali/slag mass ratio on the photocatalytic activity of final products was evaluated by the photodegradation of methyl blue under visible light irradiation. A maximum photodegradation efficiency of 88.12% over 30 min was achieved under the optimum conditions.