Enhancing aesthetic durability of Zisha teapots via TiO2 nanoparticle surface modification: A study on self-cleaning, antimicrobial, and mechanical properties

The present study aims at enhancing the aesthetic durability of Zisha teapots by dip coating green-synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles using Panax Ginseng leaf extract. The TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM, and found to be anatase-phase spherical-shaped particles with a size of <5 nm. The successful coating of TiO2 nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD, SEM, and EDX investigations. The surface of the coated Zisha teapots was patchy with the distribution of TiO2 compared to the uncoated Zisha teapots. The TiO2 nanoparticles and coated Zisha teapots exhibited excellent photocatalytic decolorization of tea extracts in the presence of sunlight with 100% efficiency. The kinetic modelling of the photocatalysis data revealed the applicability of the pseudo-first-order kinetic model with a faster reaction rate and a shorter half-life of 23.7 min. The TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited excellent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and moderate activity towards Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The wear resistance experiments revealed the ability of the TiO2 nanoparticles to resist the abrasion of Zisha teapots by 50%. The combined results of this study highlight the ability of the Zisha teapots coated with TiO2 nanoparticles to self-clean the tea stain and thus enhance the aesthetic durability of Zisha teapots.