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Prism-like integrated Bi2WO6 with Ag-CuBi2O4 on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as an efficient and robust S-scheme interfacial charge transfer photocatalyst for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater

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Abstract

Photocatalytic hybrid carbon nanotubes (CNTs)–mediated Ag-CuBi2O4/Bi2WO6 photocatalyst was fabricated using a hydrothermal technique to effectively eliminate organic pollutants from wastewater. The as-prepared samples were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), UV–vis Diffuse Reflectance spectrum (UV–Vis DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) studies. The photocatalytic performance of fabricated pristine and hybrid composites was examined by photo-degradation of toxic dye viz. Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. Photo-degradation results revealed that the fabricated Ag-CuBi2O4/CNTs/Bi2WO6 semiconductor photocatalyst followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and displayed a higher photocatalytic rate, which was found to be approximately 3.33 and 2.35 times higher than the pristine CuBi2O4 and Bi2WO6 semiconductor photocatalyst, respectively. Re-cyclic results demonstrated that the formed composite owns excellent stability, even after five consecutive cycles. As per the matched Fermi level of CNTs in between Ag-CuBi2O4 and Bi2WO6, carbon nanotubes severed as electron transfer-bridge, Ag doping on CuBi2O4 surface successfully increased photon absorption all across CuBi2O4 surface. Also, it hindered the assimilation of photoinduced electron–hole pairs. The increased photocatalytic efficiency is contributed to the uniform dispersion of photo-generated electron–hole pairs via the construction of an S-scheme system. ROS trapping and ESR experiments suggested that (∙OH) and (O2−∙) were the main radical species for enhanced photo-degradation of RhB dye. The current investigation, from our perspective, highlights the new insights for the fabrication of practical CNTs-mediated S-scheme–based semiconductor photocatalyst for the resolution of environmental issues based on practical considerations.

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The data used in this research are available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

The authors thank the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP-2021/6), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Advanced Chemical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India

    Vishal Dutta, Sonu Sonu, Pankaj Raizada, Praveen Kumar Verma & Pardeep Singh

  2. Bio-Refining and Advanced Materials Research Centre, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, UK

    Vijay Kumar Thakur

  3. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Tansir Ahamad

  4. Department of Organic Chemistry, Bioorganic Chemistry and Biotechnology, Silesian University of Technology, B. Krzywoustego 4, 44-100, Gliwice, Poland

    Sourbh Thakur

  5. Faculty of Biology and Environment, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, 140 Le Trong Tan Street, Tay Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Huy Hoang Phan Quang

  6. Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Kelambakkam, Kanchipuram District, 603103, Tamil Nadu, India

    Van-Huy Nguyen

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  1. Vishal Dutta
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  2. Sonu Sonu
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  3. Pankaj Raizada
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  4. Vijay Kumar Thakur
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  5. Tansir Ahamad
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  7. Praveen Kumar Verma
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  8. Huy Hoang Phan Quang
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  9. Van-Huy Nguyen
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  10. Pardeep Singh
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Vishal Dutta, Sonu, and Praveen Kumar Verma performed material preparation, data collection, and analysis. Vishal Dutta wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Pankaj Raizada, Vijay Kumar Thakur, Tansir Ahamad, Sourbh Thaku, Huy Hoang Phan Quang, Van-Huy Nguyen, and Pardeep Singh commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Pardeep Singh.

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Dutta, V., Sonu, S., Raizada, P. et al. Prism-like integrated Bi2WO6 with Ag-CuBi2O4 on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as an efficient and robust S-scheme interfacial charge transfer photocatalyst for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 124530–124545 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20743-8

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