Photocatalytic decolourization of Rhodamine-B dye by visible light active ZIF-8/BiFeO3 composite

Abstract

In this work, preparation of ZIF-8 supported BiFeO₃ photocatalyst by ultrasound cavitation technique was reported. The synthesized materials were characterized using solid UV absorption spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, and SEM. The catalytic function of synthesized photocatalyst under ultraviolet and visible light was examined for the decolourization of Rhodamine-B (Rh-B) dye. To understand the action of the photocatalyst on Rh-B decolorization, the influence of different operating parameters such as wt% of ZIF-8 in composite, catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration, initial solution pH, and source of light was examined. The obtained results show that 40.7 wt% of ZIF-8/BiFeO₃ composite exhibited the highest possible photocatalytic behaviour against decolorization of Rh-B dye. The acidic pH of the solution had shown greater effectiveness in removing Rh-B dye. The tests and study demonstrate that the hybrid ZIF-8/BiFeO₃ has a stronger photocatalytic activity for decolorization of the Rh-B dye relative to the ZIF-8 MOF and BiFeO₃. The synthesized ZIF-8/BiFeO₃ demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic behaviour in the presence of ultraviolet and visible light towards the removal of Rh-B dye from the aqueous media.

Keywords: Decolorization; Metal-organic framework; Photocatalysis; Rhodamine-B dye; Ultrasound synthesis; Wastewater treatment.