The magnetic copper-zinc ferrite (CuZnFe 2 O 4 ) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) composite (CZFO/CN) was synthesized for methylene blue degradation and facile recovery from wastewater. Optimization of the CZFO:CN ratio achieved 93.3% methylene blue (MB) degradation within 120 minutes, with a degradation rate constant of 64.6×10 −3 /min. The lower impedance of the heterostructures reduced the charge-transfer resistance to 1.49 MΩ, arising from strong Cu-carbon and Cu-nitrogen interactions, as evidenced by shifts in C1S and N1s in XPS analysis and reduced -OH and -NH 2 functionality. The recovery of the photocatalyst using magnetic separation and gravitational sedimentation shows a separation rate of 50×10 −3 /min⁻¹ in 5 minutes in the presence of an external magnetic field, while gravity reached 15×10 −3 /min⁻¹ separation rate in 180 minutes. Composites Cu 0.25 Zn 0.75 Fe 2 O 4 /g-C 3 N 4 exhibit extended photon absorption in the visible region and rapid charge migration via heterojunction type-II charge transfer for efficient methylene blue degradation.
The combination of piezo catalysis with and photocatalysis as an effective approach to increasing the decomposing of organic pollutants, has recently received considerable attention. Herein, barium and bismuth codoped TiO 2 nano heterostructures were successfully prepared by simple and modified chemical co-precipitation approaches for capable combined piezo/photo-catalytic decomposition of malachite-green-oxalate dye (MGO). Remarkably, the optimized 5 wt% bimetallic (Ba/Bi) co-doped TiO 2 catalyst sample showed superior piezo/photocatalytic efficiency toward MGO, achieving 95.6% through 120 min of visible-illumination/sonication conditions while the individual photocatalytic and piezocatalytic systems possessed 73.7% and 81.5%, respectively. Besides, the result showed that the bimetallic (Ba/Bi) co-doped TiO 2 catalyst possessed higher performance when compared with single Ba-doped TiO 2 and Bi-doped TiO 2 samples. Scavenger studies revealed that • OH radicals and h + were the main reactive degradation species involved in the process. The enhanced piezo/photo-catalytic performance was assigned to the Ba and Bi defects within TiO 2 , which provoked piezoelectric impacts. This significant enhancement underscores the importance of bimetals doping and photoelectric synergy in facilitating charge separation and preventing electron-hole recombination, thereby enhancing overall catalytic performance.
The combination of piezo catalysis with and photocatalysis as an effective approach to increasing the decomposing of organic pollutants, has recently received considerable attention. Herein, barium and bismuth codoped TiO2 nano heterostructures were successfully prepared by simple and modified chemical co-precipitation approaches for capable combined piezo/photo-catalytic decomposition of malachite-green-oxalate dye (MGO). Remarkably, the optimized 5 wt% bimetallic (Ba/Bi) co-doped TiO2 catalyst sample showed superior piezo/photocatalytic efficiency toward MGO, achieving 95.6% through 120 min of visible-illumination/sonication conditions while the individual photocatalytic and piezocatalytic systems possessed 73.7% and 81.5%, respectively. Besides, the result showed that the bimetallic (Ba/Bi) co-doped TiO2 catalyst possessed higher performance when compared with single Ba-doped TiO2 and Bi-doped TiO2 samples. Scavenger studies revealed that •OH radicals and h+ were the main reactive degradation species involved in the process. The enhanced piezo/photo-catalytic performance was assigned to the Ba and Bi defects within TiO2, which provoked piezoelectric impacts. This significant enhancement underscores the importance of bimetals doping and photoelectric synergy in facilitating charge separation and preventing electron-hole recombination, thereby enhancing overall catalytic performance.
Contaminated water has emerged as a major global challenge. To address this problem, novel surface-engineered polymer nanocomposite beads were developed by integrating layered hydrogen titanate nanotubes (HTNT) into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix via the phase inversion method, creating a facile synthesis approach suitable for practical application. The resulting PANHTNT nanocomposite beads were successfully employed for the removal of Cd (II), Pb (II), and Hg (II) from synthetic and spiked groundwater. XPS and FTIR analyses revealed significant interactions between the PANHTNT functional groups and the metal ions. XRD results showed a decrease in the interlayer spacing of the composite bead, suggesting effective structural integration of HTNT into the PAN matrix. SEM and BET analysis further highlighted the porous nature of the bead composite. TGA analysis confirmed the enhanced thermal stability of the PANHTNT nanocomposite beads. Equilibrium study revealed that the adsorption process was best described by the Freundlich isotherm, with maximum adsorption capacities of 36.22, 56.87, and 109.89 mg/g for Cd (II), Pb (II), and Hg (II), respectively. The uptake mechanism involved specific interactions with N-and O-containing surface sites, with possible contributions from surface complexation, proton exchange, and electrostatic interaction. The novelty of this study lies in the fabrication of a PANHTNT nanocomposite bead that overcomes the limitations of HTNT (secondary contamination) and PAN (inertness), enabling efficient removal of multiple heavy metal ions from contaminated water using a single adsorbent produced through a simple synthesis strategy, in alignment with SDGs 3 and 6.
The magnetic copper-zinc ferrite (CuZnFe2O4) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) composite (CZFO/CN) was synthesized for methylene blue degradation and facile recovery from wastewater. Optimization of the CZFO:CN ratio achieved 93.3% methylene blue (MB) degradation within 120 minutes, with a degradation rate constant of 64.6×10−3/min. The lower impedance of the heterostructures reduced the charge-transfer resistance to 1.49 MΩ, arising from strong Cu-carbon and Cu-nitrogen interactions, as evidenced by shifts in C1S and N1s in XPS analysis and reduced -OH and -NH2 functionality. The recovery of the photocatalyst using magnetic separation and gravitational sedimentation shows a separation rate of 50×10−3/min⁻¹ in 5 minutes in the presence of an external magnetic field, while gravity reached 15×10−3/min⁻¹ separation rate in 180 minutes. Composites Cu0.25Zn0.75Fe2O4/g-C3N4 exhibit extended photon absorption in the visible region and rapid charge migration via heterojunction type-II charge transfer for efficient methylene blue degradation.
