Efficient visible-light photocatalytic ozonation for dye degradation using Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ nanocomposite

ABSTRACT

In this study, Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ nanocomposite was fabricated by a simple method and utilized in the visible-light photocatalytic ozonation (PCO) process for the removal of a recalcitrant azo dye, Acid Blue 113. The process was analyzed and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD). Maximum dye removal (99.0%) was achieved at pH = 6.4 using 20 mg of the nanocomposite, 0.2 g l⁻¹ h⁻¹ ozone flow, and 45 min. Application of the PCO process for the treatment of real textile wastewater revealed that the O₃/vis light/nanocomposite system is more efficient than the bare catalysts, ozone, and O₃/light systems. Kinetic study showed that the PCO process obeyed pseudo-first-order and Langmuir–Hinshelwood models. The as-synthesized Fe₂O₃/MoS₂ nanocatalyst showed high stability in the PCO process with 92% dye degradation after eight repetitive cycles. The results show that the nanocatalyst comprising α-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles and MoS₂ nanosheets can be efficiently applied in the wastewater treatment by the PCO process.

KEYWORDS:

• Acid Blue 113
• fe₂o₃/mos₂
• nanocomposite
• optimization
• photocatalytic ozonation

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.