Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange, methylene blue and rhodamine B with AgCl nanocatalyst synthesised from its bulk material in the ionic liquid [P6 6 6 14]Cl

Water Sci Technol. 2017 Jan;75(1-2):128-140. doi: 10.2166/wst.2016.499.

Abstract

The photocatalytic degradation of wastewater containing three industrial dyes belonging to different families, methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB), was studied under UV-Vis irradiation using synthesised silver chloride nanoparticles. The nanocatalyst was prepared by a dissolution/reprecipitation method starting from the bulk powder and the ionic liquid trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium chloride, [P6 6 6 14]Cl, without addition of other solvents. The obtained catalyst was characterised by UV-Vis absorbance, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The decolourisation of the samples was studied by UV-Vis absorbance at the corresponding wavelength. Starting from 10 ppm dye solutions and 1 g L-1 of the synthesised AgCl nanoparticles, degradation efficiencies of 98.4% for MO, 98.6% for MB and 99.9% for RhB, were achieved in 1 h. The degradation mechanisms for the different dyes were studied. Comparison with other frequently used nanocatalysts, namely P-25 Degussa, TiO2 anatase, Ag and ZnO, highlights the strong catalytic activity of AgCl nanoparticles. Under the same experimental conditions, these nanoparticles led to higher (more than 10%) and faster degradations.

MeSH terms

  • Azo Compounds / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Coloring Agents
  • Ionic Liquids
  • Methylene Blue / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanoparticles
  • Photochemical Processes*
  • Rhodamines / chemistry*
  • Silver Compounds / chemistry*
  • Titanium
  • Ultraviolet Rays
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Azo Compounds
  • Coloring Agents
  • Ionic Liquids
  • Rhodamines
  • Silver Compounds
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • titanium dioxide
  • methyl orange
  • Titanium
  • rhodamine B
  • silver chloride
  • Methylene Blue