Preparation of vitamin B12–TiO2 nanohybrid studied by TEM, FTIR and optical analysis techniques.

Vitamin B 12 (VB 12 ) was applied to modify TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) for the first time. TiO 2 NPs were synthesized via sol–gel method. In the next step, as-synthesized NPs were modified by VB 12 . Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy demonstrated the formation of primary bonds between NPs and VB 12 . Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was also utilized to calculate the proportion of NPs to VB 12 . The percentage of VB 12 gained was ~20 wt%. The band gap value decreased from 3.27 (TiO 2 ) to 3.20 eV and the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RB) solution diluted in VB 12 –TiO 2 NPs. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity increased from 3 to 6 cd. This is because the total pore volume raised about 18% by modifying TiO 2 NPs; therefore, the photogenerated charge-carrier recombination rate increases by the VB 12 loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]