Enhanced photocatalytic performance of iron oxides@HTCC fabricated from zinc extraction tailings for methylene blue degradation: Investigation of the photocatalytic mechanism

Yang Xue; Xiaoming Liu; Na Zhang; Yang Shao; Chunbao (Charles) Xu

doi:10.1007/s12613-023-2723-5

Volume 30 Issue 12

Dec. 2023

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2023 > 30(12): 2364-2374

Yang Xue, Xiaoming Liu, Na Zhang, Yang Shao, and Chunbao (Charles) Xu, Enhanced photocatalytic performance of iron oxides@HTCC fabricated from zinc extraction tailings for methylene blue degradation: Investigation of the photocatalytic mechanism, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 30(2023), No. 12, pp. 2364-2374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-023-2723-5

Cite this article as:

Yang Xue, Xiaoming Liu, Na Zhang, Yang Shao, and Chunbao (Charles) Xu, Enhanced photocatalytic performance of iron oxides@HTCC fabricated from zinc extraction tailings for methylene blue degradation: Investigation of the photocatalytic mechanism, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 30(2023), No. 12, pp. 2364-2374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-023-2723-5

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Research Article

Enhanced photocatalytic performance of iron oxides@HTCC fabricated from zinc extraction tailings for methylene blue degradation: Investigation of the photocatalytic mechanism

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding authors:
Xiaoming Liu    E-mail: liuxm@ustb.edu.cn

Na Zhang    E-mail: nazhang@cugb.edu.cn

Chunbao (Charles) Xu    E-mail: cxu6@uwo.ca
Received: 26 March 2023; Revised: 7 August 2023; Accepted: 9 August 2023; Available online: 10 August 2023

Abstract

Abstract

Photocatalytic processes are efficient methods to solve water contamination problems, especially considering dyeing wastewater disposal. However, high-efficiency photocatalysts are usually very expensive and have the risk of heavy metal pollution. Recently, an iron oxides@hydrothermal carbonation carbon (HTCC) heterogeneous catalyst was prepared by our group through co-hydrothermal treatment of carbohydrates and zinc extraction tailings of converter dust. Herein, the catalytic performance of the iron oxides@HTCC was verified by a non-biodegradable dye, methylene blue (MB), and the catalytic mechanism was deduced from theoretical simulations and spectroscopic measurements. The iron oxides@HTCC showed an excellent synergy between photocatalysis and Fenton-like reactions. Under visible-light illumination, the iron oxides@HTCC could be excited to generate electrons and holes, reacting with H₂O₂ to produce $\cdot\mathrm{O}\mathrm{H}$ radicals to oxidize and decompose organic pollutants. The removal efficiency of methylene blue over iron oxides@HTCC at 140 min was 2.86 times that of HTCC. The enhanced catalytic performance was attributed to the advantages of iron oxides modification: (1) promoting the excitation induced by photons; (2) improving the charge transfer. Furthermore, the iron oxides@HTCC showed high catalytic activity in a wide pH value range of 2.3–10.4, and the MB removal efficiency remained higher than 95% after the iron oxides@HTCC was recycled 4 times. The magnetically recyclable iron oxides@HTCC may provide a solution for the treatment of wastewater from the textile industry.
- photocatalysis;
- photo-Fenton reaction;
- methylene blue degradation;
- tailings utilization

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