Polyaniline/FeZSM-5 composites - Synthesis, characterization and their high catalytic activity for the oxidative degradation of herbicide glyphosate

Semiconducting composites of nanostructured and granular polyaniline (PANI) with FeZSM-5 zeolite were synthesized by the oxidative polymerization of aniline with ammonium peroxydisulfate in water, without added acid and in an aqueous H2SO4 solution, in the presence of FeZSM-5, by using initial weight ratios aniline/FeZSM-5 of 1/1 and 1/5. These novel composite materials, in their as-synthesized (protonated) and deprotonated forms, were characterized by elemental, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and conductivity measurements. The catalytic activity of the PANI/FeZSM-5 composites towards the oxidation of herbicide glyphosate with hydrogen peroxide has been investigated. A significant improvement of the catalytic activity of PANI/FeZSM-5 composites compared to that of pure PANI and FeZSM-5 was observed, manifested by the almost one order of magnitude more efficient oxidative degradation of glyphosate with hydrogen peroxide. The maximum of oxidized/decomposed amount of glyphosate was achieved in the presence of PANI/FeZSM-5 composite synthesized using an initial aniline/FeZSM-5 = 1/5 wt ratio. It has been shown that the method of synthesis and interactions between PANI and zeolite in this complex composite system, leading to more efficient electron transfer and hydrogen peroxide decomposition, are crucial for the catalytic properties of tested PANI/FeZSM-5 materials. It is shown that new PANI/FeZSM-5 composites present advanced catalyst materials for enhanced green catalytic degradation of pesticide/herbicide pollutants in environmental remediation systems.