Methylene Blue Dye Photocatalytic Degradation over Synthesised Fe(3)O(4)/AC/TiO(2) Nano-Catalyst: Degradation and Reusability Studies

In this study, activated carbon (AC) from coconut shell, as a widely available agricultural waste, was synthesised in a simple one-step procedure and used to produce a magnetic Fe(3)O(4)/AC/TiO(2) nano-catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that TiO(2) nanoparticles, with an average particle size of 45 to 62 nm, covered the surface of the AC porous structure without a reunion of its structure, which according to the TGA results enhanced the stability of the photocatalyst at high temperatures. The photocatalytic activities of synthesised AC, commercial TiO(2), Fe(3)O(4)/AC, and Fe(3)O(4)/AC/TiO(2) were compared, with Fe(3)O(4)/AC/TiO(2) (1:2) exhibiting the highest catalytic activity (98%). Furthermore, evaluation of the recovery and reusability of the photocatalysts after treatment revealed that seven treatment cycles were possible without a significant reduction in the removal efficiency.