A novel composite (Bi2WO6/TiS2) presenting an excellent Z-scheme photocatalytic degradation for methylene blue dye under the visible light irradiation

Abstract

The current research direction in the field is the development of a Z-scheme composite photocatalyst for the purpose of degrading organic materials in water. The Solvo-thermal synthesis method was employed to successfully synthesize a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst namely Bi2WO6/TiS2@3 %, Bi2WO6/TiS2@6 % and Bi2WO6/TiS2@9 % which is driven by visible light. The materials physicochemical properties were assessed using several analytical methods i.e. XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM, FTIR, UV–vis, PL, Raman spectroscopy and EIS. The Bi2WO6/TiS2@6 % composite revealed the maximum photocatalytic efficiency in the removal of MB dye (98 %) in 70 min. The results of the free radical trap studies indicate that h+ and •O2− are the primary free radicals involved in the photocatalytic degradation. The photocatalytic performance of the composite was improved due to the creation of a heterojunction between Bi2WO6 and TiS2 resulted in enhanced electron conduction, efficient separation of photogenerated e- and h+. Furthermore, it has been shown through six cycle test that the hybrid material consisting of Bi2WO6/TiS2@6 % exhibited a consistent degrading capability (91 %) during the photodegradation process. This distinctive heterojunction photocatalyst material exhibits extensive potential for application in the elimination of organic contaminants and cleanup of the environment.