Enhancement in Photo-Fenton-Like Degradation of Azo Dye Methyl Orange Using TiO2/Hydroniumjarosite Composite Catalyst

A novel TiO2/hydroniumjarosite composite photocatalyst has been synthesized by a simple hard template method. X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet (UV)-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement were used to characterize the composite photocatalyst. Photocatalytic performance of the prepared composite catalyst was evaluated in a heterogeneous Fenton-like process using methyl orange (MO) as a probe contaminant. The TiO2/hydroniumjarosite composite exhibited remarkable enhancement on the photocatalytic activity compared with bare TiO2 or hydroniumjarosite toward the oxidation of MO under UV light irradiation. Increased light absorption intensity, larger specific surface area, and open porous structure are believed to be the main reasons for enhanced photocatalytic performance of TiO2/hydroniumjarosite composite. Results suggest that the as-prepared TiO2/hydroniumjarosite composite is an effective and promising photo-Fenton-like catalyst for the degradation of MO and purification of wastewater.