Modification of cellulose acetate nanocomposite with TiO₂-organoclay as nanofiller and its self-photodegradation study

Nanocomposite cellulose acetate has been synthesized using organoclay nanofiller modified with TiO₂. Tapanuli bentonite was previously subjected to purification and sodium exchangeprocesses, then modified with TiO₂,that was added as much as 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% weight of the total composite. FTIR analysis showed intercalation with Hexadecyl Ammonium Bromide (HDTMABr) surfactant was successfully carried out, indicated by new absorption bands at 2636 cm^-1 and 2569 cm^-1. XRD diffractogram shows the increase in basal spasing on the modification of bentonite from 15.7 Å to 19.7 Å after modification. Fabrication of nanocomposite film was carried out using acetone as solvent and through solvent casting method. Nanocomposite application in photodegradation test was carried out under direct sunlight irradiation, UV light, and without irradiation for six days. It is found that the greater the amount of TiO₂ in the composites, the more weight loss occured, due to photodegredation. Percent weight loss in the UV light irradiation are 1.11%, 2.15%, 2.73%, 3.18%, and 3.96%, while under direct sunlight irradiation, the weight loss was 1.03%, 3.03%, 3.88%, 4.53%, and 5.57%. Modification of nanocomposite with the addition of photocatalytic TiO₂ has shown to give the nanocomposite the ability of self-photodegradation.