Harnessing TiO2-STA nano-interfaces with improved electrical conductivity for the efficient photocatalytic removal of methylene blue dye

Abstract

The annealing process was used to create TiO<inf>2</inf>–Silicotungstic acid (TiO<inf>2</inf>–STA) nanocomposites. Ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the resultant materials. The FTIR spectrum verified the production of new chemical bonds between TiO<inf>2</inf> and STA, however the UV–visible spectrum showed a significant interaction between them. The TiO<inf>2</inf>–STA nanocomposites’ crystallite size was reduced, according to XRD measurements. According to calculations made using the Debye–Scherrer equation and subsequently confirmed by the Williamson-Hall technique, the crystallite size falls between 120 and 240 nm. The dopants were evenly dispersed over the surface, and SEM examination revealed a reduction in particle size. Methylene blue dye was used as a model pollutant to assess the photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites. According to the findings, the nanocomposites had outstanding catalytic activity, reaching a degradation efficiency of up to 99.87%. Additionally, the nanocomposite materials’ temperature-dependent AC and DC conductivities were examined. TiO<inf>2</inf> and TiO<inf>2</inf>–STA nanocomposite's notable improvement in conductivity points to its possible use in electrical devices. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. 2025.