An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation on Highly Reusable Visible Light Active CoTe Nanosheets for Improved Photocatalytic Degradation of Toxic Aniline Blue Dye

Abstract

AbstractSemiconductor‐assisted photocatalytic treatment is among the most effective methods for eliminating persistent contaminants from industrial wastewater. This study presents a hydrothermal approach for the preparation of Cobalt Telluride (CoTe) nanosheets for the degradation of aniline blue dye under visible light irradiation. The synthesized catalyst was characterized using various techniques, including X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, RAMAN spectroscopy, high‐Resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Tauc's model was used to determine the optical band gap. The key operating parameters, such as the amount of CoTe, initial aniline blue (AB) concentration, and contact time, have been optimized to achieve the highest AB degradation percentage. Under visible light, 98 % of dye degradation occurred within 60 minutes. The degradation process was further assessed using total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. Free‐radical capture experiments were conducted to identify the role of radical species in the photocatalytic process. The photocatalytic process revealed that the equilibrium data aligns well with the Langmuir‐Hinshelwood kinetic model. A rate constant of 0.03486 min−1 was obtained. The photocatalyst demonstrated excellent recyclability, maintaining efficiency and structural integrity over five cycles. The photocatalytic experiment results also have been confirmed by a density functional theory (DFT) calculation.