Recyclability of thin nylon film-supported p-CuBiS2/n-TiO2 heterojunction-based nanocomposites for visible light photocatalytic degradation of organic dye

Hybrid film photocatalysts have been prepared by embedding SiO2/TiO2/CuBiS2/Ag nanocomposite spheres into nylon films (nylon/catalyst) for controlling the leaching problem of catalyst powders during the photodegradation of acid black 1 (AB 1) dye solution. The composite catalyst with 500 nm SiO2 sphere as a support which had uniform size and shape was synthesized by the sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. The coupling between p-CuBiS2 and n-TiO2 nanoparticles showed synergetic effects to the enhancement of organic dye photodegradation under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, the Ag nanoparticles on the nanocomposites increased the surface plasmonic resonance and acted as electron trapping which is leading to better photocarrier separation. The 20, 30, and 40 mg as-prepared nanocomposite catalysts were embedded into nylon films to produce three different compositions of 120 mg nylon/catalyst hybrids. The good photodegradation property of 40 mg nylon/catalyst hybrid was tested and was found that it could degrade the 100 mL of 5 ppm dye solution, respectively, in 150, 120, 180, and 150 min in four consecutive runs under 150 W halogen light irradiation. The hybrid films did not need a washing procedure after being used and could be incessantly used after that. The good reusability of hybrid photocatalyst films is attributed to its porosity, thin thickness, tiny size of nanoparticles (less than 10 nm), and the formation of nano p-n diodes between p-CuBiS2 and n-TiO2 nanoparticles.