ACO/Ag/MFO n-n Heterostructure for Photocatalytic Applications

Abstract

Water quality is greatly impacted by the chemical dyes utilized in the textile manufacturing sector. Because they don't cling firmly to the fabric, textile colors leak into aquatic ecosystems as effluent.1 This means that the ecology and public health suffer greatly when effluent from several textile entities is continuously released into the environment without first being treated. Textile dyes can be harmful to aquatic creatures and contaminate aquatic ecosystems. They also have a risk of entering the food web.2 The most widely used synthetic dye in the textile industry is methylene blue (MB), which is used in combination with a wide range of other dyes such as rhodamine, methyl orange, congo red, malachite green, and crystal violet. While several environmental remediation techniques are in use, semiconductor-based visible light-responsive photocatalysis has garnered attention globally. Since it uses endless renewable solar energy and produces less hazardous byproducts during photocatalytic degradation, it is considered as the most advantageous technique.3 Figure 1. Mechanism of n-n type heterostructure Motivated by the previous findings, we have created a nanocomposite known as the ACO/Ag/MFO n-n heterostructure that efficiently breaks down MB in an aqueous solution within a short span of 60 minutes (where ACO & MFO is assigned as Ag2CO3 & MOF derived α-Fe2O3). The physicochemical properties of the ACO/Ag/MFO heterojunction have also been examined and verified through photoelectrochemical (PECH) studies, SEM, XRD, TEM, XPS, and BET analysis. This study could lead to new avenues for investigating how n-n heterostructure develops as a photocatalyst for the degradation of harmful pollutants, and for investigating its potent real-world applications.