Fabrication of Fe2O3/TiO2 Nanotube Electrode and Its Photoelectrocatalytic Performance in Dye Wastewater Degradation

The Fe2O3/TiO2 nanotubes electrode was prepared using cathodically electrochemical deposition and anodic oxidation method. The properties of the composite electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscope, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The decolorization of methyl orange was investigated using the composite electrode as a photoanode. The results indicated that Fe2O3 nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the surface of TiO2 nanotubes electrode. The adsorption edge of the composite electrode exhibited a red shift compared with the pure TiO2 nanotubes electrode. In addition, Fe2O3/TiO2 nanotubes electrode showed higher current density than TiO2 nanotubes electrode under irradiation. It indicated that the metal oxide modification successfully broadened the absorption spectrum of TiO2 nanotubes to the visible light region. Moreover, it was in favor of the separation of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. The Fe2O3/TiO2 nanotubes electrode performed higher photoelectrocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange. Furthermore, it was found that methyl orange had a higher decolorization rate under the acidic condition. When the initial pH value was 3, the decolorization rate of methyl orange solution could reach 91.7% under the light irradiation for 5 min.