Highly efficient visible light active iron oxide-based photocatalysts for both hydrogen production and dye degradation.

Photocatalysis is essential for wastewater cleanup and clean energy, and in this current study, we have synthesized nanomaterials (iron oxide-based) for photocatalytic pollution degradation and hydrogen production. The performance of aluminium oxide/ferric oxide (Al₂O₃/Fe₂O₃), samarium oxide/ferric oxide (Sm₂O₃/Fe₂O₃) and yttrium oxide/ferric oxide (Y₂O₃/Fe₂O₃) were compared for the production of hydrogen (H₂) and degradation of dye under natural sunlight. Various characterisation equipment was used to characterize these photocatalysts’ structure, morphology, elemental content, binding energy and band gap. The hydrogen recovery efficiency of iron oxide-based photocatalysts from sulphide-containing wastewater is assessed. Y₂O₃/Fe₂O₃ has shown the highest hydrogen production of 340 mL/h. The influence of operating factors such as sulphide ion concentration, catalyst quantity, and photocatalyst photolytic solution volume on hydrogen production is studied. The optimal values were 0.25 M, 0.2 g/L, and 1L, respectively. The developed photocatalyst passed multiple cycles of stability testing. Fe₂O₃ has shown the highest Rhodamine B (RhB) dye degradation efficiency of 94% under visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]