Photodegradation of Dye Pollutants Catalyzed by H<sub>3</sub>PW<sub>12</sub>O<sub>40</sub>/SiO<sub>2</sub> Treated with H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> under Simulated Solar Light Irradiation

Abstract

H 3 PW 12 O 40 /SiO 2 was prepared by a sol-gel method, and sensitized by H 2 O 2 solution. Their photocatalytic effects on degradation of organic dyes were investigated under simulated natural light irradiation. Degradation of methyl orange was used as a probe reaction to explore the influencing factors of the photodegradation reaction. After used continuously for five times, the catalytic activity of the photocatalyst is not any lower. The photodegradation of methyl orange, methyl red, methyl violet, rhodamine B, malachite green and methylene blue were also tested, and the degradation rate of dyes can reach 84.6 %~98.3 %. It was found that the photodegradation reaction belongs to the first-order kinetic reaction.