Preparation, Characterization, and IoT Implementation of Fe₃O₄/C:Mt Composite Photocatalyst for Methylene Blue Degradation
摘要
Due to the rapid development of clothing modernization, dyes have become increasingly necessary. Methylene blue (MB) is among the most widely used dyes, and its environmental persistence after use warrants attention. The combination of Fe₃O₄ composite extracted from iron sand with conductive carbon (C), along with varying proportions of montmorillonite (Mt) from clay (Fe₃O₄/C:Mt with sample ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3), synthesized using a simple sol–gel method, was selected as a natural material for MB degradation. The proposed photocatalytic degradation process was monitored in real time for 24 h using an IoT-based system as an innovative methodology. It was found that the Fe₃O₄/C:Mt (1:1) composite exhibited 91.97% MB degradation under optimal conditions of pH 8.2, temperature 26.1 °C, photocatalyst dosage of 70 mg, and an initial MB concentration of 400 mg/L. The photocatalytic process was carried out without UV lamps and stirring to mimic environmental conditions. Degradation results were attributed to the small average crystallite size (22.28 ± 2.79 nm) and the consistent narrowing of the