New age monolithic design-based visible light responsive and reusable photocatalyst material using iron oxide-modified mesoporous titania framework

Abstract

In this work, we report a facile route for the synthesis of worm-like mesoporous $$\hbox {Fe}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$-doped $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$ monolithic composites through a direct template sol–gel method, for the photocatalytic degradation of textile dye (acid blue 113) pollutants. The monolith surface morphology and structural properties have been characterized using p-XRD, HR-SEM–EDAX, HR-TEM–SAED, TGA, UV–Vis–DRS, PLS, FTIR, XPS and BET analyses. The stoichiometric doping of $$\hbox {Fe}_{2}\hbox {O}_{3}$$ unleashes visible light photocatalytic activity through a red shift in the light absorption character of $$\hbox {TiO}_{2}$$, thereby narrowing the energy band gap, and an eventual increase in $$\hbox {e}^{-}/\hbox {h}^{+}$$ separation centres. The monolithic photocatalyst exhibits better properties in terms of surface area, pore volume and diameter. The physico-chemical parameters, such as solution pH, dopant stoichiometry, catalyst quantity, dye concentration, photo-sensitizers and light intensity have been optimized to enhance the photocatalysis efficiency. The photocatalyst exhibits complete dye mineralization within 0.5 h, and also reusable for five continuous cycles.