Synthesis and characterization of green rust-deposited MoS2 composites for adsorptive removal of EDTA-chelated Ni(II) in wastewater

Ethylenediamminetetraacetatonickel(II) (EDTA-Ni(II)) has emerged as a significant soil and groundwater contaminant due to the increasing agricultural and industrial activities, posing environmental challenges. This study focuses on addressing the reactivity of green rust (GR), which can be hindered by oxidation with oxygen, limiting its effectiveness in remediation processes. To overcome this limitation and enhance the adsorptive capacities, the combination of sulfate green rust (SO4-GR) with various Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratios with a high-surface-area adsorbent, MoS2, resulting in the formation of binary composites of green rust-deposited MoS2 (MSGs) were explored. The aim was to improve the removal efficiency of EDTA-Ni(II) from contaminated wastewater. To characterize the MSGs, a comprehensive analysis using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy was performed. The surface areas of the MSGs were smaller than that of MoS2 but larger than that of the SO4-GRs, indicating a promising composite material. XANES spectra analysis revealed that both MSGs and SO4-GRs exhibited a mixture of ferrous and ferric ions, as evident from their spectral positioning between FeO and Fe2O3. The optimal pH for efficient removal of EDTA-Ni(II) was 3, which resulted in removal efficiencies of 45.6%, 47.3%, 46.0%, and 46.2% for MSG 1, MSG 2, MSG 3, and MSG 4 after 24 h, respectively. Reducing the initial concentration of EDTA-Ni(II) to 50 mg Ni(II)/L effectively doubled the removal efficiency. Notably, as EDTA-Ni(II) was removed, an increased leaching of iron was observed, leading to a total iron concentration exceeding 40 mg/L for the composites with higher Fe(II)/Fe(III) ratios. These findings underscore the potential of MSG as a promising material for degrading EDTA-Ni(II) in contaminated wastewater, offering a viable solution to mitigate the environmental impact of this emerging contaminant. This study contributes to the understanding of green rust reactivity and provides valuable insights for developing effective strategies to address the challenges associated with EDTA-Ni(II) contamination.

Design of multifunctional C@Fe3O4-MoO3 binary nanocomposite for applications in triphenylmethane textile dye amelioration via ultrasonic adsorption and electrochemical energy storage

In this paper, we present the synthesis of C@Fe₃O₄-MoO₃ binary composite were prepared through the facile hydrothermal process. The ultrasonic aided adsorption efficacy was evaluated by studying triphenylmethane dye's adsorption potential. The ultrasonic aided adsorption capacity towards crystal violet was 993.6 mg/g, which is remarkably higher and best fitted with the Langmuir isotherm model and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The electrochemical studies working electrode have been prepared with 80 wt% active material, 10 wt% carbon black, and 10% polyvinylidene difluoride to evaluate energy storage characteristics. The C@Fe₃O₄-MoO₃ demonstrated an excellent specific capacitance of 40.94 F/g with better retention and stability, making it a potential cathode material for next-generation electrochemical energy storage devices.

In-situ establishment of binary composites α-Fe2O3/Bi12O17Cl2 with both photocatalytic and photo-Fenton features

A set of binary composites α-Fe₂O₃/Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ were established through an in-situ deposition route and these samples were systematically characterized by a collection of analytical techniques. Scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy proved the coexistence of expected two components. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected-area electron diffraction indicated the formation of heterojunction domains with the intimate contact of both semiconductors. The degradation behavior of as-synthesized samples was evaluated under visible-light irradiation and the enhanced outcome was observed over dye methyl orange (MO) and colorless 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), mainly attributing to favorable optical and morphological merits, and a suitable well-aligned band structure in these binary composites with a suitable phase composition as well. In addition, these composites showed an obvious photo-Fenton feature that significantly improved the catalytic degradation efficiency over 2,4-DCP when the reagent H₂O₂ was introduced, indicating the destruction efficiency was controlled by a synergtic effect from both photocatalytic and photo-Fenton degradation routes. Based upon the detection of reactive radical species, a primary synergistic mechanism was eventually speculated.