Synthesis of MoS2-Based Nanomaterials for Photodegradation of Spent Wash in Sugar Industry Waste
摘要
In order to improve the performance of nanomaterials for a range of applications, this work investigates the synthesis and characterization of a novel MoS₂/MXenes@TiO₂ nanomaterial synthesized using a sol–gel technique. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is incorporated into the MoS₂/MXenes composite to take advantage of each component’s special qualities, such as high surface area, electrical conductivity, and photocatalytic activity. Strong interfacial contacts between MoS₂, MXenes, and TiO₂ are promoted by the hydrothermal method, which provides regulated development and the production of a well-defined heterostructure. To ascertain the material’s structural, morphological, chemical, and optical characteristics, methods like x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX), photoluminescence (PL), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are used. The effective production of nanocomposites was confirmed by the discovery of crystallite sizes ranging from 31 nm to 7 nm (decreased with an increase in dopant). The layered morphological structure of MXenes and their composites is confirmed by SEM. All pure and doped materials’ chemical and elemental compositions are verified by EDX, which also confirms the presence of Mo, S, Ti, and Al. The functional groups in the synthesized substance are revealed by FTIR. When subjected to UV-visible light, the produced catalytic material was found to be efficient in decomposing molasses. Color, COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD (biological oxygen demand), pH, and total dissolved solids levels were all assessed in both treated and untreated molasses. According to the findings, the MoS2/MXenes (10%) exhibited the best activity for spent wash degradation with a COD and BOD removal rate of 70% while adding TiO2 with 5% weight percentage into MoS2/MXenes (6%) as dopant increased this degradation rate by 85% in 120 min. So, the nanocomposites containing 5% TiO2 in MoS2/MXenes (6%) were found to be more effective at degrading waste wash. The results of the investigations point to an efficient photodegradation process operating with spent wash. This technique has a variety of advantages, including high photocatalytic activity, non-toxicity, cleanliness, and the ability to reuse the catalytic material. A promising method for creating cutting-edge nanomaterials with exceptional qualities for energy conversion, environmental remediation, and other uses is presented in this study.