NiSe2/Ag3PO4 Nanocomposites for Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalysts for Environmental Remediation Applications

Abstract

This study investigated the use of NiSe2/Ag3PO4 nanocomposite catalysts for the photocatalytic degradation of RhB and BPA pollutants. Samples of pure NiSe2, Ag3PO4, and NiSe2/Ag3PO4 composites with varying NiSe2 (10%, 20%, and 30%) proportions were synthesized using hydrothermal techniques. The 20% NiSe2/Ag3PO4 composite showed the greatest photocatalytic efficiency for both RhB and BPA degradation. The study also examined the impact of various factors, such as the initial concentration of dye, catalyst amount, pH, and reaction time, on the photodegradation process. The 20% NiSe2/Ag3PO4 catalyst effectively degraded 10 ppm RhB in 20 min and 20 ppm BPA in 30 min. The physical properties of the samples were examined using SEM, PXRD, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The cycling runs of 20% NiSe2/Ag3PO4 also exhibited improved stability compared to Ag3PO4, with a degradation rate of 99% for RhB and BPA. The combination and synergistic effect of NiSe2 and Ag3PO4 played a vital role in enhancing the stability of the photocatalysts. Both the RhB and BPA photodegradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetic models with rate constants of 0.1266 min−1 and 0.2275 min−1, respectively. The study also presented a Z-scheme reaction mechanism to elucidate the process of photodegradation exhibited by the composites after active species capture experiments, which showed that superoxide anion radicals and holes were responsible for the photodegradation.