Sains Malaysiana 50(12)(2021): 3569-3582

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5012-09

Cyanamide-Modified Iron (III) Oxide Photocatalysts for Degradation of Phenol in the Presence of Urea and Formaldehyde

(Ferum(III) Oksida Terubah Suai Sianamida sebagai Fotomangkin untuk Penguraian Fenol dengan Kehadiran Urea dan Formaldehid)

NUR AZMINA ROSLAN^1,2*, HENDRIK O. LINTANG^3,4,5 & LENY YULIATI^3,4,5*

¹Malaysian Palm Oil Board, No. 6, Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM, Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

³Ma Chung Research Center for Photosynthetic Pigments, Universitas Ma Chung, Villa Puncak Tidar

N-01, Malang 65151, East Java, Indonesia

⁴Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Ma Chung, Villa Puncak Tidar N-01, Malang 65151, East Java, Indonesia

⁵Centre for Sustainable Nanomaterials, Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia

Received: 7 January 2021/Accepted: 15 April 2021

ABSTRACT

Cyanamide as the source of carbon and nitrogen was used to modify iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) photocatalyst. While X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed that the cyanamide-modified Fe₂O₃ photocatalysts have comparable crystallinity to that of the unmodified Fe₂O₃, the diffuse reflectance ultraviolet-visible (DR UV-vis) spectra obviously showed additional light absorption around 500-800 nm on the cyanamide-modified Fe₂O₃, resulting in a better absorption capability under visible light irradiation. The presence of cyanamide modifier decreased the fluorescence emission intensity of Fe₂O₃, implying the reduced electron-hole recombination on the Fe₂O₃ and/or blocked emission sites by the modifier. The presence of carbon and nitrogen on the modified Fe₂O₃ photocatalysts was confirmed by the elemental analyzer. Photocatalytic activities of Fe₂O₃ and cyanamide-modified Fe₂O₃ were then evaluated for degradation of phenol under UV and visible light irradiation. Modification of Fe₂O₃ with cyanamide significantly improved the degradation of phenol from 30 to 75% under UV light irradiation and from 0 to 80% under visible light irradiation. Photocatalytic degradation of phenol was also investigated in the presence of urea or formaldehyde or both urea and formaldehyde. Even though the percentage of phenol degradation decreased in the presence of other pollutants, it was demonstrated that cyanamide modified iron(III) oxide photocatalysts still gave good activity towards degradation of phenol even in the presence of other organic pollutants.

Keywords: Cyanamide; formaldehyde; iron (III) oxide; phenol; photocatalyst; urea

ABSTRAK

Sianamida sebagai sumber karbon dan nitrogen telah digunakan untuk mengubah suai fotomangkin ferum(III) oksida (Fe₂O₃). Corak teknik pembelauan sinar-X (XRD) mengesahkan bahawa fotomangkin Fe₂O₃ terubah suai sianamida mempunyai kristaliniti yang setanding dengan Fe₂O₃ yang tidak diubah dan spektrum DR UV-vis jelas menunjukkan penyerapan cahaya tambahan sekitar 500-800 nm pada Fe₂O₃ terubah suai sianamida, lalu menghasilkan keupayaan penyerapan yang lebih baik di bawah cahaya tampak. Kehadiran pengubah sianamida menurunkan keamatan pendarcahaya Fe₂O₃, mengurangkan penggabungan semula elektron-lubang dan/atau menyekat tapak pemancaran pada Fe₂O₃. Kehadiran karbon dan nitrogen pada fotomangkin Fe₂O₃ yang telah diubah suai telah disahkan oleh analisis unsur. Aktiviti fotopemangkinan Fe₂O₃ dan Fe₂O₃ yang diubah suai sianamida kemudiannya dinilai untuk penguraian fenol di bawah sinaran UV dan cahaya tampak. Pengubahsuaian Fe₂O₃ dengan sianamida meningkatkan penguraian fenol dari 30 hingga 75% di bawah sinaran UV dan dari 0 hingga 80% di bawah cahaya tampak. Penguraian fotopemangkinan fenol juga dikaji dengan adanya urea atau formaldehid atau kedua-duanya. Walaupun peratusan penguraian fenol menurun dengan kehadiran bahan pencemar lain, fotomangkin Fe₂O₃ terubah suai sianamida masih memberikan aktiviti yang baik terhadap penguraian fenol walaupun dengan kehadiran bahan pencemar organik lain.

Kata kunci: Fenol; ferum (III) oksida; fotomangkin; sianamid; urea

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*Corresponding author; email: nazmina@mpob.gov.my