Highly visible light active ternary polyaniline-TiO2-Fe3O4 nanotube/nanorod for photodegradation of reactive black 5 dyes

• Main Authors: Jumat, Nur Aziera, Khor, Shu-Hui, Basirun, Wan Jefrey, Juan, Joon Ching, Phang, Sook-Wai
• Format: Article
• Published: Springer 2021
• Subjects: QD Chemistry
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/27943/
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

A ternary photocatalyst of PANI-TiO2-Fe3O4 with nanorod structure was successfully fabricated by a simple one-pot method via chemical oxidative polymerization using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant under acidic medium. The PANI-TiO2-Fe3O4 (10%) possesses the lowest band gap of 1.50 eV due to the synergistic effect amongst PANI, TiO2, and Fe3O4. The PANI-TiO2-Fe3O4 with 10 wt% of Fe3O4 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity (k = 0.01589 min(-1)) for photodegradation of Reactive Black 5 dyes under irradiation of visible light. This is corresponding to the excellent photosensitizer behavior of PANI, good redox property of TiO2 and also high electrical conductivity of Fe3O4. The photocatalytic activity eventually decreased as the amount of Fe3O4 increase up to 20 wt%. This is because the excessive of Fe3O4 distorts the elongation of nanorod which reduces the surface active catalytic site for RB5. In summary, the nanorod structure of PANI-TiO2-Fe3O4 photocatalyst has dramatic effects in enhancing the photocatalytic activity.