Synthesis and characterization of manganese-modified SBA-15 materials

Abstract

Manganese is a very abundant, non-toxic metal that presents multiple oxidation states. Its oxides show diverse crystalline structures and band gap energies, and as such, the aim for this study was to develop manganese-modified photocatalysts for specific applications. SBA-15 type materials were characterized with techniques such as XRD, DRS, XPS and TEM microscopy after modification with Mn and Ti/Mn. The frameworks’ structures, nature of the species obtained on the surfaces and band gap of each material were determined. Mn presented itself mostly in its +2 and +3 states, while the Ti/Mn couple showed a lower band gap (2.96 eV) that that of TiO₂ (3.20 eV), indicating its potential use as photocatalyst in advanced oxidation processes.