Preparation and characterization of activated carbon/hematite composite as efficient photocatalyst for naphthol blue black dye degradation

Abstract

This work focuses on the preparation and characterization of activated carbon/hematite (AC/α-Fe2O3) composite for use as a photocatalyst in the decolorization of naphthol blue black (NBB) dye under ultraviolet irradiation. The photocatalyst was produced using iron sand as a source of hematite with the addition of 15 % w/w of activated carbon derived from waste coffee grounds using a hydrothermal method. The as-prepared materials were characterized by using the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X- Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), nitrogen adsorption–desorption (BET) and UV–visible spectroscopy. The AC/α-Fe2O3 composite exhibited a high photocatalytic activity on photodegradation of NBB. The degradation percentage of NBB dye was found to be 80.40 % that was observed at pH 1.0, the amount of photocatalyst is 300 mg, initial of dye concentration is 20 mg L−1 after being irradiated for 120 minutes. This is an improved photo-activity, relative to bare α-Fe2O3 with a lower degradation percentage of NBB dye (50.89%). The AC/α-Fe2O3 composite also can remove the dye-containing wastewater up to 90.59 % and 95.42 % under UV and sunlight irradiation, respectively.