Preparation of fly ash-Ag2O nanoaggregates as highly capable photocatalyst for malachite green dye degradation under solar irradiation

Abstract

Fly ash-Ag2O nanoaggregates photocatalyst (FA-Ag2O NAP) has been effectively synthesized by a green technique using silver nitrate and F-type fly ash. The physico-chemical properties of synthesized FA-Ag2O NAP were studied by a number of techniques such as field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized FA-Ag2O NAP has been evaluated by performing the degradation of malachite green (MG) dye in aqueous solution under solar irradiation. The photocatalyst was associated with a band gap energy of 3.84 eV. The ash provided a strong support of the silver oxides accountable for the photocatalytic degradation. FA-Ag2O NAP was associated with excellent photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of malachite green dye, in aqueous solution, within only 75 min under direct sunlight. The photocatalyst could be effectively regenerated and reused up to four runs. The synthesized FA-Ag2O NAP may be used for purification of polluted water released from various textile, dye and pharmaceutical industries.