Synthetic dyes are being used in different industries and manufacturing processes, including textiles, paper, printing, cosmetics, and plastic. Water contaminated with dyes once released to normal water reservoirs create many hazardous effects. Therefore, it is essential to remove dyes, and for this purpose, photocatalysis is being widely used as the pollutants are degraded to harmless products. Ternary nanocomposites of Fe2TiO5/TiO2/g-C3N4 were successfully synthesized by using natural ilmenite sand and urea as the raw materials, varying both the weight percentages of g-C3N4 and Fe2TiO5/TiO2. The weight percentage of g-C3N4 with respect to Fe2TiO5/TiO2, and that of Fe2TiO5/TiO2 with respect to g-C3N4 were varied as 8%, 24% and 40%. The hydrothermal process was used for the synthesis of the nanocomposites. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and diffuse reflectance UV-Visible spectrophotometry (DRS). XRD patterns reveal the formation of Fe2TiO5/TiO2 and g-C3N4, and the XPS analysis shows the different chemical environments of C, N, Fe and Ti. SEM images showed that the g-C3N4 matrix is consisted of flat large sheets with stacked layered structures, and spherical shape agglomerated Fe2TiO5/TiO2 nanoparticles are distributed on g-C3N4. EDX spectra represent the presence of C, N, O, Ti, Mn, and Fe. XRF analysis was performed to understand the chemical composition, and it was found that Ti, Fe are present as major constituents, while Mn, and V are present in lesser amounts. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanocomposites was evaluated on the degradation of 10 ppm methylene blue under the exposure of sunlight. The highest rate constant for the degradation of MB was obtained for the nanocomposite with 40% of g-C3N4. Therefore, it is evident that the photocatalysis of both g-C3N4 and Fe2TiO5/TiO2 is improved when they are coupled to form a heterostructure because the band alignment facilitates the charge separation. Nanocomposites were effective in inhibiting the growth of E. Coli.

Efficient photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity of Fe2TiO5/TiO2/g-C3N4 synthesized by natural ilmenite and urea under sun light

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ACS Fall 2022

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