Hydrothermal assisted WO3@C nanowires supported g-C3N4 ternary nanocomposites for the removal of colored and colorless organic effluents and bacterial strains

Abstract

Various organic contaminants like dyes, antibiotics and fungicides in water from industrial castoffs considered as fundamental global issue and attract concern of researchers. Herein, 1-D carbon coated tungsten oxides (C@WO3) were fabricated by simple hydrothermal synthetic approach. Nanocomposites of synthesized 1-D nanowires with g-C3N4 (g-C3N4/C@WO3) were prepared by ultrasonication approach. The crystal structure, morphology and optical properties were investigated by physiochemical characterizations. XRD results revealed orthorhombic crystal structure of WO3 with crystallite size 22.43 nm which decreased to 21.24 nm by the addition of g-C3N4. SEM micrographs exposed successful synthesis of 1-D nanowires of WO3 and C@WO3 with average diameter 98.955 nm and 130.79 nm respectively. Photocatalytic performance was investigated under visible light through colored effluents methylene blue (MB) and crystal violet (CV) and colorless wastes benzimidazole (fungicide) and benzoic acid. Growth inhibition was studied against gram positive (S.aureus) and gram negative (E.coli) bacteria. In evaluation with pristine WO3 nanowires and g-C3N4, photocatalytic and antibacterial performances of g-C3N4/C@WO3 nanocomposites were significantly high. Trapping agents for holes, electrons and hydroxyl radicals were also used to study mechanism of photocatalysis. It was concluded by the results that hydroxyl radicals generated in g-C3N4/C@WO3 nanophotocatalyst play main part during complete experiment.