One‐step synthesis of NiO nano‐photocatalyst by wire explosion process and its application in photocatalytic degradation of Methyl tert‐butyl ether.

The use of the gasoline additive methyltert‐butyl ether (MTBE) has caused serious concern about groundwater and surface water contamination. In this study, UV light/ NiO nano‐photocatalyst (NiONP) system was firstly used to degradation of MTBE in contaminated water. A low‐cost and environmentally clean exploded‐wire plasma technique based on cheap solid nickel source is developed for preparation of NiONP. Optical, magnetic and physicochemical properties were successfully characterized using DRS, VSM, XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM and BET techniques. The NiONP exhibits excellent photocatalytic degradation ability of MTBE. The degradation process was monitored during the photocatalytic reaction by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). It has been found that MTBE undergoes a series of intermediate step, which leads to form a number of intermediate products, mainly acetone, formic acid and t‐butyl formate (TBF). According to the results of the intermediates determination, a possible pathway degradation of MTBE was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]