Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic application of Ag-doped Fe-ZSM-5@TiO2 nanocomposite for degradation of reactive red 195 (RR 195) in aqueous environment under sunlight irradiation

BackgroundMost dyes have aromatic rings in their structures, which make them highly toxic for human being and aquatic life. Heterogeneous photodegradation using TiO2 nanoparticles is one of the most applied methods used for dye removal. The wide band gap of TiO2 nanoparticles disables its use of the visible light and thus the vast potential of sunlight. To overcome this deficiency, Ag doped TiO2 nanoparticles were loaded on Fe-ZSM-5.MethodsFe-ZSM-5@TiO2-Ag photocatalyst was synthesized through sol-gel and hydrothermal methods to remove hazardous Reactive Red 195 (RR 195) from aqueous solution.ResultsPure phase of Fe-ZSM-5@TiO2-Ag with specific surface area of 332m(2)/g was successfully synthesized. Formation of Ti-O-Ag functional group in the photocatalyst structure confirmed the nanocomposite form of the product. SEM and TEM images portrayed the synthesized zeolite and photocatalyst NPs in a size range of 100nm with homogenous distribution of Ag doped TiO2 on Fe-ZSM-5 surface. The band-gap energy of Fe-ZSM-5@TiO2-Ag was calculated 1.97eV at =630nm. Photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst under natural sunlight was investigated through photodecomposition of RR 195 in an aqueous solution. The dye photodecomposition of about 98% was achieved at photocatalyst concentration of 400mg/L, pH of 3, and dye concentration of 50mg/L at ambient temperature after 120min under sunlight using 0.5ml of TiO2 and silver ammonium nitrate. The photocatalyst reusability was found significant after 5 frequent cycles.ConclusionThe novel Ag-doped TiO2-Fe-ZSM-5 nanocomposite with sunlight sensitivity can be a promising candidate to purify wastewater containing organic pollutants.