Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 20 No 6 (2016): 1338 - 1345

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2016-2006-12

 

 

 

DEGRADATION OF METHYLENE BLUE DYE BY CuO-BiVO₄ PHOTOCATALYSTS UNDER VISIBLE LIGHT IRRADIATION

 

(Degradasi Pewarna Metilena Biru oleh Fotomangkin CuO-BiVO₄ Di Bawah Sinaran Cahaya Nampak)

 

Abdul Halim Abdullah^1,2*, Wan Tze Peng², Mohd Zobir Hussein^1,2

 

¹Institute of Advanced Technology

²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: halim@upm.edu.my

 

 

Received: 17 August 2015; Accepted: 13 October 2016

 

 

Abstract

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO₄) and a series of Cu-loaded BiVO₄ (CuO-BiVO₄) photocatalysts were prepared via precipitation and wet impregnation methods respectively. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the band gap energy was elucidated via UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Spherically-shaped particles of the photocatalysts were obtained which contained mixtures of monoclinic and tetragonal BiVO₄ phases. The particle sizes of the photocatalysts ranged from 20 to 100 nm and band gap energies varied from 2.47 to 2.53 eV. The photodegradation efficiency of the photocatalysts was evaluated by degrading methylene blue (MB) dye under visible-light irradiation. The optimum conditions for the photocatalytic degradation were determined based on wt% Cu loaded, mass loading, initial dye concentration and pH. 1 wt% CuO-BiVO₄ exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity where the complete removal of 10 mgL^-1 of MB was obtained at pH 10 when 0.8 g of the catalyst was used under 4 hours of 18W fluorescent light irradiation.

 

Keywords:  copper oxide-bismuth vanadate, visible light photocatalyst, semiconductor, methylene blue

 

Abstrak

Bismut vanadat (BiVO₄) dan satu siri fotomangkin CuO-BiVO₄ masing – masing telah disediakan melalui kaedah pemendakan dan impregnasi basah. Pencirian sampel menggunakan pembelauan Sinar-X (XRD), transmisi elektron mikroskopi (TEM) dan tenaga jurang jalurnya melalui spektroskopi UV-Vis pantulan resap (DRS). Fotomangkin yang berbentuk sfera mengandungi campuran fasa monoklinik dan tetragonal BiVO₄ telah dihasilkan. Saiz zarah fotomangkin adalah antara julat 20 – 100 nm dan tenaga jurang jalurnya adalah 2.47 – 2.53 eV. Keberkesanan fotodegradasi pemangkin telah dinilai dengan menyingkirkan pewarna metilena biru (MB) di bawah sinaran cahaya nampak. Keadaan optimum bagi degradasi fotopemangkinan adalah berdasarkan % berat Cu yang dimuatkan, muatan jisim, kepekatan awal pewarna dan pH. 1% berat CuO-BiVO₄ menunjukkan aktiviti fotopemangkinan adalah paling tinggi di mana penyingkiran peratusan MB menghampiri 100% 10 mgL^-1 of MB di bawah keadaan optimum iaitu pH 10 dengan 0.8 g pemangkin digunakan yang didedahkan di bawah sinaran 18W cahaya pendarfluor selama 4 jam.

 

Kata kunci:  kuprum oksida- bismut vanadat, fotomangkin cahaya nampak, semikonduktor, metilena biru

 

References

1.       Fujishima, A., Hashimoto, K. and Watanabe, T. (1999). TiO₂ photocatalysis: Fundamentals and applications. BKC, Tokyo.

2.       Yin, S., Yamaki, H., Komatsu, M., Zhang, Q., Wang, J., Tang, Q., Saito, F. and Sato, T. (2003). Preparation of nitrogen-doped titania with high visible light induced photocatalytic activity by mechanochemical reaction of titania and hexamethylenetetramine. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 13 (12): 2996 – 3001.

3.       Livraghi, S., Votta, A., Paganini, M. C. and Giamello, E. (2005). The nature of paramagnetic species in nitrogen doped TiO₂ active in visible light photocatalysis. Chemical Communication, 41(4): 498 – 500.

4.       Cheng, X. L., Jiang, J. S., Jin, C. Y., Lin, C. C., Zeng, Y. and Zhang, Q. H. (2014). Cauliflower like α-Fe₂O₃ microstructures: Toulene-water interface assisted synthesis, characterization and application in wastewater treatment and visible light photocatalysis. Chemical Engineering Journal, 236(1): 139 – 148.

5.       Sanchez-Martinez, D., Martinez-de la Cruz, A. and Lopez-Cuellar, E. (2011). Photocatalytic properties of WO₃ nanoparticle obtained by precipitation in presence of urea as complexing agent. Applied Catalysis A-General, 398(1-2):179 – 186.

6.       Sun, J., Chen, G., Wu, J., Dong, H. and Xiong, G. (2013). BiVO₄ hollow spheres: Bubble template synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic properties. Applied Catalysis B-Environmental, 132: 304 – 314.

7.       Zhang, F. J., Xie, F-Z., Liu J., Zhao, W. and Zhang, K. (2013). Rapid sonochemical synthesis of nano laminar like Bi₂WO₆ as efficient visible light active photocatalyst. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 20: 2009 – 2015.

8.       Bi, Y., Ouyang, S., Umezawa N., Cao, J. and Ye, J. (2011). Facet effect of single-crystalline Ag₃PO₄ sub-microcrystals on photocatalytic properties.  Journal of American Chemical Society, 133: 6490 – 6492.

9.       Wang, F., Shao, M., Cheng, L., Hua, J. and Wei, X. (2009). The synthesis of monoclinic bismuth vanadate nanoribbons and studies of photoconductive, photoresponse and photocatalytic properties. Materials Research Bulletin, 44(8): 1687–1691.

10.    Abdullah, A. H., Moey, H. J. M. and Yusof, N. A. (2012). Response surface methodology analysis of the photocatalytic removal of methylene blue using bismuth vanadate prepared via polyol route. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 24(9): 1694 – 1701.

11.    Shan, L., Mi, J., Dong, L., Han, Z. and Liu, B. (2014). Enhanced photocatalytic properties of silver oxide loaded bismuth vanadate, Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 22: 909 – 913.

12.    Lin, X., Yu, L., Yan, L, Li, H., Yan, Y., Liu, C. and Zhai, H. (2014). Visible light photocatalytic activity of BiVO₄ particles with different morphologies. Solid State Sciences, 32: 61 – 66.

13.    Bian, Z-Y., Zhu, Y-Q., Zhang, J-X., Ding, A-Z. and Wang, H. (2014). Visible light driven degradation of ibuprofen using abundant metal loaded BiVO₄ photocatalyst. Chemosphere, 117: 527 – 531.

14.    Garcia-Perez, U. M., Sepulveda-Guzman, S. and Martinez-de la Cruz, A. (2012). Nanostructures BiVO₄ photocatalyst synthesized via polymer assisted co-precipitation method and their photocatalytic properties under visible light irradiation. Solid State Sciences, 14: 293 – 298.

15.    Chala, S., Wetchakun, K., Panichphant, S., Inceesungvorn, B. and Whetchakun, N. (2014). Enhanced visible-light-response photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe-loaded BiVO₄ photocatalyst. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 597: 129 – 135.

16.    Karunakaran, C. and Kalaivani, S. (2014). Enhanced visible-light photocatalysis by hydrothermally synthesized thallium doped bismuth vanadate nanoparticle. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 27: 352 – 361.

17.    Ju, P., Wang, P., Li, B., Fan, H., Ai, S., Zhang, D. and Wang, Y. (2014). A novel calcined Bi₂WO₆/BiVO₄ heterojunction photocatalyst with highly enhanced photocatalytic activity, Chemical Engineering Journal, 236: 430 – 437.

18.    Min, S., Wang, F., Jin, Z. and Xu, J. (2014). Cu₂O nanoparticles decorated BiVO₄ as an effective visible light driven p-n heterojunction photocatalyst for methylene blue degradation, Superlattices and Microstructures, 74: 294 – 307.

19.    Gao, X. M., Wu, Y. F., Wang, J., Fu, F., Zhang, L. P. and Niu, F. X. (2011). The preparation of CuO-BiVO₄ and its enhanced photocatalytic properties for degradation of phenol. Advanced Materials Research, 356 – 360: 1253 – 1257.

20.    Cho, S. K., Park, H. S., Lee, H. C., Nam, K. M. and Bard, A. J. (2013). Metal doping of BiVO₄ by composite electrodeposition with improved photoelectrochemical water oxidation. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 117: 23048 – 23056.

21.    Jiang, H. Q., Endo, H., Natori, H., Nagai, M. and Kobayashi, K. (2009). Fabrication and efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue over CuO/BiVO₄ composite under visible-light irradiation. Materials Research Bulletin, 44(3): 700 – 706.

22.    Kohtani, S., Hiro, J., Yamamoto, N., Kudo, A., Tokumura, K. and Nakagaki, R. (2005). Adsorptive and photocatalytic properties of Ag-loaded BiVO₄ on the degradation of 4-n-alkylphenols under visible light irradiation. Catalysis Communications, 6(3): 185 – 189.

23.    Das, R., Sarkar, S., Chakraborty, S., Choi, H. and Bhattacharjee, C. (2014). Remediation of antiseptic components in wastewater by photocatalysis using TiO₂ nanoparticle. Industrial and Engineering Chemical Research, 53(8): 3012 – 3020.