Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Properties of Attapulgite/CeO<SUB>2</SUB> Nanocomposite Films for Decomposition of Rhodamine B

ATP(attapulgite)/CeO2 nanocomposite films were prepared on the glass substrates via a sol-gel and dip-coating route. The ATP/CeO2 nanocomposite films were characterized by Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed that the ATP/CeO2 nanocomposite films were free from cracks and the nanoparticles were attached onto the surface of attapulgite. The ATP/CeO2 nanocomposite films displayed excellent catalytic activity for decomposition of Rhodamine B. The COD (chemical oxygen demand) removal rate of rhodamine B using ATP/CeO2 nanocomposite films as catalyst reached as high as 94% when the weight ratio of ATP to CeO2 was 2:1.