Nanocomposite matrix conjugated with carbon nanomaterials for photocatalytic wastewater treatment

M Abd Elkodous; Gharieb S El-Sayyad; M I A Abdel Maksoud; Rajesh Kumar; Keiichiro Maegawa; Go Kawamura; Wai Kian Tan; Atsunori Matsuda

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124657

Nanocomposite matrix conjugated with carbon nanomaterials for photocatalytic wastewater treatment

J Hazard Mater. 2021 May 15:410:124657. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124657. Epub 2020 Nov 24.

Authors

M Abd Elkodous¹, Gharieb S El-Sayyad², M I A Abdel Maksoud³, Rajesh Kumar⁴, Keiichiro Maegawa⁴, Go Kawamura⁵, Wai Kian Tan⁶, Atsunori Matsuda⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan; Center for Nanotechnology (CNT), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed, Giza 16453, Egypt.
² Drug Microbiology Lab, Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt; Chemical Engineering Department, Military Technical College (MTC), Egyptian Armed Forces, Cairo, Egypt.
³ Materials Science Lab., Radiation Physics Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan.
⁵ Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan. Electronic address: kawamura.go.km@tut.jp.
⁶ Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan.
⁷ Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan. Electronic address: matsuda.atsunori.hh@tut.jp.

PMID: 33272728
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124657

Abstract

The problem of hazardous wastewater remediation is a complicated issue and a global challenge. Herein, a layered Co_0.5Ni_0.5Fe₂O₄/SiO₂/TiO₂ composite matrix was prepared and incorporated with three carbon nanomaterials having different dimensionalities, carbon dots (C-dots, 0D), single-walled carbon nanotubes (1D), and reduced graphene oxide (2D), in an effort to create effective photocatalytic nanocomposites for chloramine-T removal from water. Microstructural analyses confirmed the formation of nanocomposites and revealed their chemistry and structure. Elemental mapping revealed a uniform distribution of elements throughout the nanocomposite matrix that was free of impurities. The spherical shape of the matrix particles (average diameter ~90 nm) and their conjugation with the carbon nanomaterials were confirmed. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms revealed that the nanocomposites were mesoporous but also contained macropores. The surface chemical compositions of the nanocomposites were investigated and showed a range of available binding energies. The kinetics of photocatalysis by the system were studied, and the effects of different parameters (such as photocatalyst dose and charge-carrier scavengers) on the efficiency of chloramine-T degradation were also investigated. The nanocomposite loaded with 10% C-dots exhibited high UV-assisted photocatalytic activity for chloramine-T degradation (65% removal efficiency).

Keywords: C-dots; Chloramine-T; Nanocomposites; Photocatalysis; SWCNTs; Wastewater treatment; rGO.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't