Solar-light elimination of various dye effluents using plasmon AgBrCl solid solution on carbon defects-MWCNTs modified with DBD-plasma: Nano-hybrid photocatalyst and ultrasonic precipitation design

Y AgBr0.75Cl0.25 solid solution on carbon defects-MWCNTs, modifying with DBD-plasma, was fabricated via the sono-precipitation method, employing to degrade dye pollutants under simulated sunlight. XRD, FTIR, Raman, BET-BJH, FESEM, TEM, DRS and PL analyses were applied to characterize the nanophotocatalyst. Results illustrated the improvement of band gap (2.19 eV), existence of SPR property, reducing the recombination rate, improving the separation and transmission of charge carriers, and increasing the access to active sites as a result of the formation of AgBr0.75Cl0.25 solid solution over carbon defects-MWCNTs. Besides, existing MWCNTs along with carbon defects as a result of using DBD-plasma, in AgBrCl/CNT(PT)(1%) structure led to well dispersion, decreasing agglomeration, smaller particles, formation of hydroxyl, epoxy and carboxyl groups on the surface and stronger bonding, trapping of excitons, increasing separation of them, and increasing the access to active sites. So that, the excellent photocatalytic performance was obtained over AgBrCl/CNT(PT)(1%) for the degradation of 50 mg/L crystal violet (87.5%), rhodamine B (95.6%) and methyl orange (81.9%) during 180 min. Reusability was investigated in four cycles; and a reaction mechanism for the photodegradation was suggested.

Automated summary

A Y AgBr0.75Cl0.25 solid solution was prepared on carbon defects-MWCNTs and modified with DBD-plasma to fabricate an excellent nanophotocatalyst for efficient degradation of dye pollutants. This catalyst exhibited improved band gap, SPR property, reduced recombination rate, enhanced separation and transmission of charge carriers, and increased access to active sites, leading to excellent photocatalytic performance.