Visible light photocatalytic degradation of water-soluble organic pollutants in aqueous solution by thulium copper oxide nanostructures: sonochemical synthesis, characterization, optimization of conditions, and mechanisms

Abstract

The problem of water contamination has grown significantly in recent years, and the development of novel materials capable of effectively removing these toxins is imperative. The Tm₂Cu₂O₅ nanophotocatalyst for the decolorization of various organic pollutants that are soluble in water is presented in the current study. A quick and easy sonochemical process was used to create Tm₂Cu₂O₅ nanostructures, which had an appropriate bandgap of 1.6 eV according to DRS spectroscopy. The BET result indicated type III isotherm with H3 hysteresis and the specific surface area of 5.9788 m² g⁻¹. To get the maximum effectiveness, a number of variables were carefully examined, including the pH of the medium, the concentrations of organic pollutants, the types of organic contaminants, and the doses of Tm₂Cu₂O₅. The outcomes demonstrated that Tm₂Cu₂O₅ was very successful in eliminating various organic pollutants from water. For instance, 100% of the erythrosine was destroyed when 50 mg of Tm₂Cu₂O₅ and 10 ppm dye were utilized under visible irradiation for 35 min. Subsequent analysis utilizing Tm₂Cu₂O₅ as a photocatalyst showed that hydroxyl radicals were the main cause of pollutant photodegradation. The recyclability test showed that Tm₂Cu₂O₅ is very stable and after five cycles, the degradation performance reduced by 7.8% from the first cycle (100.0%) to about 92.2%. According to this research, Tm₂Cu₂O₅ is a promising choice for creating novel materials that efficiently eliminate water pollutants.