Magnetic Z-scheme bismuth molybdate(1-x)/Fe3O4@MIL-125(Ti)(x) nanocomposite as a high-performance visible-light-active photocatalyst for ultra-deep oxidative desulfurization of liquid fuel

Photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization (PODS) under visible light was accomplished by employing bismuth molybdate-modified magnetic MIL-125(Ti) composites, which effectively prevented electron-hole pair recombination and enhanced photoresponse through the formation of Z-scheme photocatalysts. In addition, the inclusion of Fe3O4 facilitated the band gap reduction and enabled the easy separation of the composite for catalyst recycling using a strong permanent magnet. By varying the weight ratios of bismuth molybdate (BMO) to Fe3O4@MIL-125(Ti) (Fe@MIL), the resulting composite was denoted as x%-BFM. Notably, the composite with a weight percentage of 75% (75%-BFM) exhibited remarkable performance in the PODS. This can be attributed to its high specific surface area (235.35 m(2)/g), ability to combine electron-hole pairs, low energy gap (1.99 eV), improved visible light collection, and superparamagnetic property with a value of 20 emu/g. Within 60 min, this composite achieved a sulfur removal of 99.7% under visible light irradiation, signifying its performance in the oxidation reaction. Furthermore, the 75%-BFM demonstrated exceptional recyclability, as the apparent activity of the catalyst remained unaffected after undergoing at least five recycling cycles. These findings underscore the potential of the 75%-BFM composite as a highly efficient catalyst for photocatalytic desulfurization.

Automated summary

Photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization (PODS) under visible light was successfully achieved using bismuth molybdate-modified magnetic composites. The composite exhibited high efficiency and recyclability, making it a promising catalyst for desulfurization.