South African Journal of Chemical Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Adsorption of neomycin from water using activated carbon from flax seeds","authors":"Patience Mapule Thabede,&nbsp;Ntaote David Shooto","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>New carbon-based flaxseed adsorbents were prepared for the efficient removal of an organic pollutant (neomycin) from an aqueous solution. In the study, the use of H₃PO₄ and NaOH-activated flax seeds was investigated and used for batch adsorption studies. The H₃PO₄ treated carbon adsorbed more than the NaOH carbon at about 53.68 and 45.85 mg/g, respectively. Effect of temperature showed that increasing the temperature decreased the sorption capacity of neomycin from 283&lt;293&lt;303 K. The equilibrium data for both adsorbents matched the Langmuir sorption isotherm, indicating that the uptake of neomycin occurred at sorption sites with equal affinity for the contaminant with the formation of a monolayer on the adsorbent surfaces. The rate of neomycin removal was faster and took place within 30 min for both adsorbents. Neomycin removal was faster with both adsorbents and took place within 30 min. The uptake of neomycin was high at a higher pH of the solution and maximum adsorption was achieved at a pH of 8. The PSOM described the sorption data better, suggesting that the uptake mechanism involves electrostatic interactions. Examination of the FTIR spectra before and after uptake showed that the positions of the active interactions between the neomycin and the adsorbents were functional groups (-COOH, -C-OH and -CH) on the surface of both adsorbents. Therefore, activated carbon from flax seed is a promising adsorbent for the uptake of organic pollutants such as neomycin from water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 256-266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144139621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mesoporous biochar composite derived from hardwood and post-recycled plastic waste in Thailand: A case study of nickel removal in acidic solution","authors":"Poramed Aungthitipan ,&nbsp;Athicha Janthakhot ,&nbsp;Pornmongkol Tansomrot ,&nbsp;Surachai Wongcharee ,&nbsp;Sukanya Hongthong ,&nbsp;Torpong Kreetachat ,&nbsp;Saksit Imman ,&nbsp;Wipada Dechapanya","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Uncontrolled accumulation of post-recycled plastic waste poses significant environmental and sustainability challenges due to their resistance to degradation and potential for long-term pollution. This study investigates the synthesis and application of mesoporous biochar composites derived from hardwood and post-recycled plastic waste materials through slow pyrolysis, yielding a high specific area of about 42.47 m² g^-1 with a total pore volume of 0.1121 cm³ g^-1 and indicating mesoporous materials of pore diameter of about 24.64 nm. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization confirmed successful carbonization, with a high carbon content indicating enhanced stability and adsorption potential. The adsorption efficiency of the mesoporous hardwood-PRPW biochar was evaluated for nickel (II) ions removal from acidic aqueous solutions via batch experiments of initial concentration (0–100 mg l^-1), contact time (up to 120 min), solution pH (2–8), temperature (25 ± 1 °C), and adsorbent dosage (0.5–2 g l^-1). Kinetic modelling revealed that adsorption followed General Order and Fractal-Like PSO, suggesting chemisorption as the dominant process and multilayer adsorption mechanisms. Equilibrium isotherm studies indicated that the Redlich–Peterson model provided the best fit, demonstrating a hybrid monolayer and multilayer adsorption behavior with maximum adsorption capacity was determined to be 84.76 mg g^-1 based on the Toth isotherm. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed the process to be spontaneous, endothermic and entropy-driven, suggesting enhanced randomness at the solid-liquid interface, favoring metal ion uptake at higher temperatures. In addition, reusability and desorption studies demonstrated that the biochar retained 87.58 % of its adsorption capacity after the first regeneration cycle, declining to 68.81 % after four cycles, while desorption efficiency decreased from 81.65 % to 43.62 %, highlighting progressive surface fouling and structural degradation. These findings establish mesoporous hardwood-PRPW biochar as a highly efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable adsorbent for nickel removal. In conclusion, the study underscores the potential of upcycling waste materials into functional adsorbents, aligning with the ideologies of sustainable environmental management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 242-255"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144123956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrocoagulation process for cobalt removal from industrial wastewater: Optimization and kinetic study","authors":"Ghanim S. Hassan,&nbsp;Ali H. Abbar","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the present work, the removal of cobalt from spent caustic wastes resulting from petroleum refining was studied using an electrocoagulation (EC) process with aluminum electrodes.. The influence of many factors such as pH, current density, and time on the performance of EC process was investigated and optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The research outcomes showed that the current density has a remarkable effect on the removal efficiency. The optimal conditions were a current density of 15 mA/cm², pH of 8, and a time of 40 min in which cobalt removal efficiency of 99 % was achieved with claiming an electrical energy consumption of 26.76 kWh/m³. It was observed that the decay of cobalt concentration verses time obeys first-order kinetics with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.999 and a rate constant of 0.112 min^-1. Results showed that EC has the ability to remove not only the cobalt ions but also other contaminants causing a significant reduction in TOC, phenol, sulfide and turbidity which confirms the feasibility of industrial application the EC to treat spent caustic wastewater discharged from petroleum refinery processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 233-241"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144116012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of chaotic dynamic magnetic field on hydrogen production through water electrolysis","authors":"Purnami Purnami ,&nbsp;Willy Satrio Nugroho ,&nbsp;Vivi Nurhadianty ,&nbsp;Sapriesty Nainy Sari ,&nbsp;Yepy Komaril Sofi’i ,&nbsp;ING. Wardana","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green hydrogen obtained from green water electrolysis is a promising sustainable energy carrier. However, many technical burdens still presents including the electrocatalyst material. This study explores new paradigm to improve hydrogen yields via magnetic field exposure. Magnetic field assisted electrolysis has shown promising improvements of hydrogen production from water electrolysis. However, some techniques require specialized nanostructure design while the efficiency of direct magnetic field exposure cannot be improved. This study aims to design an electrolysis system to improve hydrogen production of magnetic field assisted electrolysis system. The diamagnetic dravite tourmaline stone was sticked around the electrolyzer to create chaotic magnetic field. The chaotic magnetic field improves both static (SMF) and dynamic magnetic field (DMF) exposure but more effective in high rotational speed DMF. The magnetic field reflection prevents hydrogen bond reformation and cohesion which lowers ionization energy. The magnetic field slows OH- ion movement so that more rooms are available for H⁺ and electrons interaction. Therefore, the chaotic EMF and DMF assisted electrolysis improves hydrogen production through water properties and ion transfer control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 225-232"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143918261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Expired azithromycin and cephalexin as corrosion inhibitors for aluminum in saline-acidic solution","authors":"Zainab W. Ahmed ,&nbsp;Anees A. Khadom ,&nbsp;Enas H. Ali ,&nbsp;Khalida F. Al-azawi ,&nbsp;Abdul Amir H. Kadhum","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The research aims to study the corrosion of aluminum (5083AA) in saline-acidic solution (pH=1) in the absence and presence of 100 to 200 ppm of azithromycin (AZM) and cephalexin (CFX) as corrosion inhibitors at a temperature range of 293 to 308 K. The electrochemical polarization method was used to estimate the corrosion potential, corrosion current density, and Tafel slopes. The results show that the inhibition mechanism was due to the adsorption of azithromycin and cephalexin molecules on the surface of aluminum. The inhibitor performance, or inhibition efficiency percentage (%η), was increased with an increase in inhibitor concentration, and it was decreased with the temperature increases. Maximum corrosion inhibition efficiency was 75 % and 72 % for cephalexin and azithromycin at 200 ppm and 293 K, respectively. Polarization measurements showed that cephalexin and azithromycin have been physically adsorbed on the aluminum surface as mixed-type inhibitors and obeyed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, such as activation energy, enthalpy of adsorption, and entropy of adsorption, were calculated to elaborate the mechanism of corrosion inhibition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 193-201"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of biodiesel production using oil extracted from microalgae harvested in Ghana","authors":"Moustafa Acakpo ,&nbsp;Nana Sarfo Agyemang Derkyi ,&nbsp;Johannes Akpabli Mawuli Awudza ,&nbsp;Benjamin Kwadzo Kokloku ,&nbsp;Felix Amankwah Diawuo","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fossil fuel is a non-renewable energy source and its combustion contributes greatly to environmental pollution such as the emission of greenhouse gas. Biodiesel is recognized as a potential renewable energy source alternative to fossil-based fuel. This paper evaluated microalgae, <em>Chlorella protothecoides</em> as a potential feedstock for sustainable biodiesel production in Ghana by optimization of synthesis parameters. Freshwater green microalgae were collected from ponds and the Black Volta River in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana, followed by drying and grinding. The oil in the microalgae was extracted with a Soxhlet apparatus using hexane as solvent at a ratio of 1:25 (g/mL) at 60 ± 1 °C for 4 hours. The conversion of the extracted microalgae oil into biodiesel was carried out via a transesterification process using potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a catalyst. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with central composite design to optimize critical production parameters such as catalyst load, reaction time, and methanol-to-oil molar ratio. The oil content of <em>Chlorella protothecoides</em> was found to be 57.61 %. For the synthesis of the biodiesel, the optimum parameters obtained using RSM were: methanol-oil molar ratio X₁ = 11.01, reaction time X₂ = 56.20 min at 65 °C, and catalyst load X₃ = 0.79 wt%. The catalyst concentration is the factor that has the greatest influence on the biodiesel yield according to the statistical analysis of ANOVA. The biodiesel yield of 98.23 % was obtained using the optimum production parameters. The calorific value, cloud point, pour point, cetane number, and kinematic viscosity cSt @ 40 °C of biodiesel produced were 39.901 MJ/kg, -1 °C, -3.40 °C, 49.914, 4.766 mm²/s, respectively. <em>Chlorella protothecoides</em> could be a sustainable feedstock for biodiesel production in Ghana.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 214-224"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lactic acid oligomer grafted gum acacia encapsulated controlled release nitrogen fertilizer for crops improvements and greener soil sustainability","authors":"Yihun Wasie ,&nbsp;Selvakumar Periyasamy ,&nbsp;Melakuu Tesfaye","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and productivity. Urea contains 46 % N, the highest content of solid nitrogenous fertilizers, but it is limited in its delivery system. In this research work, urea was encapsulated in a hydrophobic bio-adhesive, which was synthesized through a poly-condensation reaction of lactic acid (LA) and gum acacia (GA) to control its dissolution rate in water. Box-Behnken method of design expert software was used to investigate the effect of process parameters on the grafting efficiency and urea release rate. The grafting efficiency and the urea release rate were inversely proportional. The grafting of lactic acid oligomer (LAO) chains at the O<img>H and N<img>H functional groups of the GA backbone was confirmed by FTIR and NMR analyses. The solubility and hydrophobicity tests of LAO-g-GA exhibit that both increase with grafting efficiency. The study found that the urea release rate increases with the temperature of the medium and urea concentration but decreases with the increase in pH of the medium. The results observed from the study could help commercialize slow-release urea fertilizer for the effective use of nitrogen and maintain a pollution-free environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 158-175"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetohydrodynamics forced convective flow of micropolar ferrofluid over double stationary cylinders inside a vented chamber","authors":"Hasan Douha Touki,&nbsp;Nure Jannat Zubly,&nbsp;Sumon Saha","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work delivers a comprehensive study on the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) forced convective circulation of micropolar ferrofluid over two static cylinders placed within a vented cavity. The cavity has an inlet port at the left bottom and an exit port at the right top. The bottom wall has a constant heat flux source, whereas the other two walls (except the cold right wall) and the cylinder’s surfaces are adiabatic. A constant magnetic field is induced horizontally at the right wall. This study seeks to optimize heat transfer by arranging the cylinders in various configurations under the given conditions, and it also contributes to optimizing heat transfer in various engineering and industrial applications, particularly in systems where fluid flow and magnetic fields influence thermal performance. The leading equations for MHD forced convection heat transport in the cavity are solved using the finite element method. Micropolar Fe₃O₄-water ferrofluid acts as the working fluid to capture additional fluid behavior at small scales, including micro-rotation and viscous impacts on the heat transport process. The system’s thermal effectiveness can be assessed by the average Nusselt number on the heated wall, mean ferrofluid temperature, pressure coefficient, and performance evaluation criterion. Those performance parameters are computed for three configurations of the cylinder-pair with the selected ranges of Reynolds number (1 ≤ <em>Re</em> ≤ 10³), Hartman number (1 ≤ <em>Ha</em> ≤ 31.623), and material parameter (0 ≤ <em>K</em> ≤ 2) to understand the thermo-hydraulic characteristics. Upon extensive analysis, it is evident that the performance evaluation criterion varies significantly depending on the cylinder configurations. Heat transport in a cavity without a cylinder is less than in one with a cylinder pair at lower Reynolds numbers. The optimal horizontal position of the cylinder pair is three-fourths of the length of the cavity. The influence of the magnetic field on the average Nusselt number remains minimal across all Reynolds number ranges. Although the micropolar parameter has little effect at these lower Reynolds numbers, a rise in <em>K</em> leads to a decline in heat transport efficiency and an increase in pressure losses, adversely impacting thermal and hydraulic performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 176-192"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing PVDF-Tannic acid membrane for treating actual river water using response surface methodology","authors":"Rosmaya Dewi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Roil Bilad ,&nbsp;Muhammad Saifullah Abu Bakar ,&nbsp;Ahmad Fauzi Ismail ,&nbsp;Norazanita Shamsuddin","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we refined the development process of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). to address a key research gap in multi-step tannic acid (TA)–based membrane modification for real river water treatment. This multi-step approach integrates phase inversion with surface coatings to minimize morphological alterations commonly encountered in single-step methods. Our goals were to maximize both pure and river water permeability (PWP and RWP, respectively) and achieve high rejection of natural organic matter (NOM). The Central Composite Design matrix was utilized to effectively assess how various factors influence these goals and develop predictive regression models. Three key parameters were selected: tannic acid [TA] in the range of 0–1 g/L, [Fe³⁺] in the range of 0–1 g/L, and coating duration spanning from 0.5 to 5 min. Performance assessment of the membranes was carried out using a cross-flow microfiltration system enhanced practical applicability by treating actual river water. The results indicate that the developed membranes exhibit enhanced hydrophilicity and anti-fouling properties compared to the pristine PVDF membranes. According to the analysis of variance, all parameters hold statistical significance in relation to PWP and NOM rejection, with [Fe³⁺] and coating duration being particularly significant for the RWP model. The optimal experimental conditions for PWP, RWP, and NOM rejection were [TA] at 0.542 g/L, [Fe³⁺] at zero, and a coating duration of 0.5 min. Remarkable performances were obtained, including a maximum NOM rejection of 91.546 %, RWP of 546.203 L/m²h bar, and PWP of 739.997 L/m²h bar. The error percentages for PWP, RWP, and NOM rejection between the predicted and experimental values were found to be 7.7 %, 2.9 %, and 1.9 %, respectively, confirming the validity and accuracy of the models.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 202-213"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the effective parameters on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles","authors":"Nurul Syahirah Nasuha Sa’aya ,&nbsp;Norhana Abdul Halim ,&nbsp;Hairul Anuar Tajuddin ,&nbsp;Mohd Nor Faiz Norrrahim ,&nbsp;Siti Zulaikha Ngah Demon ,&nbsp;Fadhlina Che Ros ,&nbsp;Shujahadeen Aziz ,&nbsp;Muhammad Hafiz Hamsan ,&nbsp;Ahmad Farid Mohd Azmi ,&nbsp;Nadiah Husseini Zainol Abidin","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.04.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing challenge of environmental pollution has driven intense research into advanced materials for pollutant degradation. Among them, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles stand out for their efficiency in the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, offering a promising solution for environmental remediation. In this study, TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized to measure their structural, morphological, and optical properties, which directly influence their photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), a model organic dye. TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized via the sol-gel method, enabling fine-tuned control over their crystallization and purity, and subsequently characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a particle size analyzer. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by measuring the degradation rate of MB under UV light irradiation. One hour of sonication was employed after the optimization study to enhance the dispersion of the nanoparticles, resulting in a more uniform size and shape for further characterization. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of both anatase and rutile phases, with peaks at 386 cm⁻¹ and 516 cm⁻¹ indicating anatase, while the rutile phase was identified by peaks at 451 cm⁻¹ and 615 cm⁻¹. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed characteristic bond formations at 1643 cm⁻¹ (Ti-OH) and 3338 cm⁻¹(O<img>H). The degradation analysis was performed via UV–Vis spectrophotometer, which demonstrated a decrease in absorbance at λ_max of 662 nm within 240 min. Additionally, UV–Vis spectroscopy was employed to determine the band gap energy of TiO₂, calculated to be approximately 3.19 eV. Morphological analysis using FESEM revealed flake-like structures with an average size distribution of 52 nm, consistent with the nanoscale distribution observed using the particle analyzer and UV–Vis spectroscopy. In summary, this study successfully synthesized TiO₂ nanoparticles with a mixed crystalline phase, achieving about 96.6 % photocatalytic efficiency for MB degradation, highlighting their potential for environmental treatment applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"53 ","pages":"Pages 127-141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143887198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}