Sains Malaysiana 46(9)(2017): 1393–1399

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4609-06

 

Facile Synthesis of AgCl/BiYO₃ Composite for Efficient Photodegradation of RO16 under UV and Visible Light Irradiation

(Sintesis Mudah Komposit AgCl/BiYO₃ untuk Fotodegradasi Cekap RO16 di bawah Sinaran UV dan Cahaya Boleh Lihat)

 

URAIWAN SIRIMAHACHAI*, HUSNA HAROME & SUMPUN WONGNAWA

 

Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Prince of Songkla University, Kanjanawanich Rd., Kohong, Hatyai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand

 

Received: 31 August 2016/Accepted: 17 January 2017

 

ABSTRACT

AgCl/BiYO₃ composite was successfully synthesized via the aqueous precipitation method followed by calcination. The varied amount of AgCl (10, 20 and 30%) was mixed into BiYO₃ via sonochemical-assisted method. The structures and morphologies of the as-prepared AgCl/BiYO₃ composite were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The optical absorption spectrum of AgCl/BiYO₃ composite showed strong absorption in visible region. The photocatalytic activity of AgCl/BiYO₃ composite was evaluated by the photodegradation of reactive orange16 (RO16), which was selected to represent the dye pollutants, under UV and visible light irradiation. The results indicated that 20% AgCl/BiYO₃ photocatalyst was the most capable photocatalyst in this series in the degradation of RO16 under both UV and visible light illumination within 1 h. Moreover, the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of AgCl/BiYO₃ was elucidated using three types of free radical scavengers. The significant enhancement was attributed to the formation of AgCl/BiYO₃ heterojunction resulting in the low electron-hole pair recombination rate.

 

Keywords: BiYO₃; photocatalyst; visible light

 

ABSTRAK

Komposit AgCl/BiYO₃ telah berjaya disintesis melalui kaedah pemendakan akueus diikuti dengan pengkalsinan. Jumlah berbeza AgCl (10, 20 dan 30%) dicampur ke dalam BiYO₃ melalui kaedah sonokimia berbantu. Struktur dan morfologi disediakan sebagai komposit AgCl/BiYO₃ telah dicirikan oleh pembelauan sinar-x (XRD), microskopi elektron pengimbasan (SEM) dan spektroskopi UV-vis pantulan resapan (UV-vis DRS). Spektrum penyerapan optik komposit AgCl/BiYO₃ menunjukkan penyerapan yang kuat di kawasan boleh nampak. Aktiviti fotomangkinan komposit AgCl/BiYO₃ dinilai melalui fotodegradasi reaktif jingga16 (RO16) yang telah dipilih bagi mewakili bahan cemar pewarna, di bawah UV dan penyinaran cahaya boleh nampak. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa 20% fotomangkin AgCl/BiYO₃ adalah fotomangkin paling efektif dalam siri ini dalam degradasi RO16 di bawah kedua-dua UV dan penyinaran cahaya boleh nampak dalam tempoh 1 jam. Selain itu, mekanisme degradasi fotomangkinan AgCl/BiYO₃ telah diterangkan menggunakan tiga jenis pemangsa radikal bebas. Peningkatan ketara ini disebabkan oleh pembentukan hetero-simpang AgCl/BiYO₃ yang mengakibatkan kadar penggabungan semula pasangan lohong elektron adalah rendah.

 

Kata kunci: BiYO₃; cahaya boleh nampak; fotomangkin

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*Corresponding author; email: uraiwan.s@psu.ac.th