Photocatalytic degradation of phenol using visible light activated Ag-AgBr-hydrotalcite composite

Abstract

Water pollution is one of the persistent environmental challenges that continues to impact numerous communities worldwide. As such, several sustainable remediation technologies have been developed over the years to increase water supply through reuse. Visible light activated photocatalysis is one such technology that aptly remediates refractory organic pollutants from various water matrices. In this study, a composite Ag-AgBr- LDH photocatalyst was synthesized. The physical and chemical properties of the catalyst were elucidated using a range of characterization techniques. The photocatalytic activity of the material was tested on simulated phenol contaminated water, and degradation efficiencies as high as 92% were achieved at neutral pH and a catalyst loading of 2 g/L. The synthesized photocatalyst nanocomposite material proved to be a feasible catalyst for degradation of phenolic contaminants in water under visible light irradiation.