a-Bi2O3 nanoparticle and multiwall carbon nanotube hybrid with protonated g-C3N4 nanosheets for superior photocatalytic performance towards the mixed organic contaminants

In this work, a wet impregnation technique was utilized to create the novel g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3 /MWCNT na-nocomposite. To characterise the structure, morphological and photochemical properties of the synthesised materials, several characterization techniques were used. A certain number of alpha-Bi2O3 nanoparticles and MWCNT on the surface of the g-C3N4 nanosheets would improve electron hole pair separation, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic performance against mixed dye molecules. The g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3/MWCNT nano -composite exhibits excellent photocatalytic efficiency (93.53%) for the decomposition of mixed dyes (rho-damine b (Rh B) and methylene blue (MB)), and it showed about 1.76, 2.13, 3.42, 1.24 and 1.37 times as higher than the g-C3N4, alpha-Bi2O3 , MWCNT, g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3 , g-C3N4 /MWCNT nanocomposites, respectively. Meanwhile, in the recycling test, the g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3 /MWCNT nanocomposite demonstrated excellent cyclic photostability after the five consecutive runs. According to the trapping experiment, superoxide radicals show a significant role in the dye decomposition process. This work provides a simple and suitable tech-nique for making a visible-light active photocatalyst for potential practical application in wastewater treatment. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3/MWCNT nanocomposite was successfully synthesized using a wet impregnation technique. The nanocomposite exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for the decomposition of mixed dyes. The results suggest that the g-C3N4/alpha-Bi2O3/MWCNT nanocomposite has potential practical applications in wastewater treatment and shows good cyclic photostability.