Enhanced sunlight-absorption of Fe2O3 covered by PANI for the photodegradation of organic pollutants and antimicrobial inactivation

The current study focused on preparing S-scheme heterojunction Fe2O3-PANI nanocomposite and pristine Fe2O3 using surfactant-assisted sol-gel and polymerization routes. The structural conformation was assessed through XRD diffractograms that confirmed the Fe2O3 phase in both samples. FTIR data traces the metal-oxygen and carbon-related bonds. PL results showed that the recombination rate is retarded in nanocomposite. TEM images confirmed the covering of PANI over Fe2O3. EDX mapping showed that Fe, C, N, and O were present in the grown nanocomposite. XPS study revealed the binding energies of constituent atoms. The optical energy bandgap 2.8 and 2.7 eV for Fe2O3 and Fe2O3-PANI was observed through UV-Vis analysis. The photocatalytic test against methyl blue (MB), eosin yellow (EY), and methyl red (MR) dyes were executed for 50 min under direct sunlight. The Fe2O3-PANI showed 99.8, 98.5, and 99.6% degradation efficiency against MB, EY, and MR dyes, respectively, which was higher than Fe2O3. The recyclability assessment confirmed the reusability upto four cycles. The antimicrobial property against E. coli, P-aeruginosa, K-pneumoniae, S. aureus, and P. vulgaris bacterial strains revealed a higher response for Fe2O3-PANI with the zone of inhibition 30, 31, 31, 30, and 30 nm, respectively. The enhanced performance of Fe2O3-PANI is being credited to S-scheme heterostructure supported with PANI, which can hinder the recombination process and support electron/hole separation. The results indicated that the as-grown nanocomposite could be a promising candidate against bacterial disinfection and an excellent stable photocatalyst. (c) 2022 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier BV and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The current study focuses on the preparation and characterization of S-scheme heterojunction Fe2O3-PANI nanocomposite and pristine Fe2O3. The Fe2O3-PANI nanocomposite exhibits enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties compared to Fe2O3 due to its unique structure and improved electron-hole separation. These findings suggest that Fe2O3-PANI nanocomposite could be a promising candidate for bacterial disinfection and stable photocatalysis applications.