Fe2O3/TiO2/reduced graphene oxide-driven recycled visible-photocatalytic Fenton reactions to mineralize organic pollutants in a wide pH range

Abstract

Photocatalytic Fenton reactions combined the advantages from both photocatalysis and Fenton reaction in mineralizing organic pollutants. The key problems are the efficiency and recycling stability. Herein, we reported a novel Fe₂O₃/TiO₂/reduced graphene oxide (FTG) nanocomposite synthesized by a facile solvothermal method. The TiO₂ in FTG degraded organic pollutants and mineralized intermediates via photocatalysis under visible light irradiation, which could also promote Fenton reaction by accelerating Fe³⁺-Fe²⁺ recycle. Meanwhile, the Fe₂O₃ rapidly degraded organic pollutants via Fenton reactions, which also promoted photocatalysis by enhancing visible light absorbance and diminishing photoelectron-hole recombination. The high distribution of TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ on rGO, together with their strong interaction resulted in enhanced synergetic cooperation between photocatalysis and Fenton reactions, leading to the high mineralization efficiency of organic pollutants. More importantly, it could also inhibit the leaching of Fe species, leading to the long lifetime of FTG during photocatalytic Fenton reactions in a wide pH range from 3.4 to 9.2.

Keywords: Fe(2)O(3)/TiO(2)/rGO nanocomposite (FTG); Pollutant mineralization; Strong durability in a wide pH range; Synergetic effect; Visible-photocatalytic Fenton reactions.