Synthesis of magnetic photocatalyst by photochemical deposition and co-precipitation techniques: investigation of its photocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic activity for dye removal

ABSTRACT

In this study, photochemical deposition and co-precipitation methods were used to synthesise Ag/TiO₂ and magnetic Ag/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ photocatalysts, respectively. The physical and chemical properties of the Ag/TiO₂ and Ag/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ photocatalysts were characterised by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses. The synthesised photocatalysts were used to remove Reactive Red 195 (RR195) dye the most commonly used in the textile industry. The photocatalytic and sonophotocatalytic removal was investigated using different light types such as UV-A and visible light. In the optimum conditions (UV-A and visible light intensity 27 W, 25 mg/L initial RR195 concentration, pH 6 ve 0.1 g/L catalyst dose) of photocatalysis, the photodegradation of magnetic Ag/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ was found 72% at 120 min irradiation of visible light but the degradation was 65% at 30 min irradiation of UV-A light. While in case of the sonophotocatalysis, the degradation of magnetic Ag/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ was found 85% at 120 min irradiation of visible light but the degradation was 85% at 30 min irradiation of UV-A light.

KEYWORDS:

• Photocatalysis
• sonophotocatalysis
• ag/TiO₂
• ag/TiO₂/Fe₃O₄
• reactive dye removal
• magnetic photocatalyst

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).