3D-Printed WO3-UiO-66@reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole

Abstract

For the first time, integration of 3D printing technology was used to develop ternary nanocomposites (WO3-UiO-66@rGO) as reusable photocatalytic materials to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), an antibiotic pollutant from the wastewater sources. The materials fabricated were characterized for highlighting the synergistic impact of tungsten trioxide (WO3), UiO-66, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to boost the photocatalytic efficiency. The WO3-UiO-66@rGO materials were prepared by solvothermal method and tested for N2 adsorption, field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence (PL), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. Digital light processed (DLP) 3D printing demonstrated the complex composite structures with strong mechanical strength and recycling ability. As the 3D-WO3-UiO-66@rGO was tested for 10 cycles of SMX degradation with a recovery of 100 % of its photocatalytic activity, and its reusability was also evaluated. During the first 60 min, the 3D printed catalysts demonstrated a high degrading efficiency towards SMX, with a kinetic reaction constant of 0.02955 min−1. This is 6.2 times greater than that of WO3 catalyst and 1.8-times higher than that of WO3-UiO-66@rGO. The nanocomposites exhibited photocatalytic degradation of SMX over that of pristine WO3, suggesting the potential of 3D-printed nanocomposites as sustainable and efficient catalysts for wastewater treatment for the removal of persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, thus meeting the sustainable development goals of Clean Water and Sanitation (Goal 6).