The TiO2-graphene oxide-Hemin ternary hybrid composite material as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the degradation of organic contaminants

Abstract

TiO2-Graphene Oxide-Hemin (TiO2/GO/Hemin) ternary composite hybrid material was prepared by the sol-gel method and used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants. The catalytic activity of GO-TiO2-Hemin was evaluated by the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under the UV-visible light irradiation and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The ternary composite of (TiO2/GO/Hemin) shows an excellent activity over a wide pH range from 3 to 11 and also a stable catalytic activity after five recycles. The increase in the efficiency of TiO2-GO-Hemin-UV processes is attributed to the Fe2+ ions produced from the cleavage of stable iron complexes, which participate in the continuous cyclic process for the generation of hydroxyl radicals resulting from the heterogeneous photocatalytic reactions and the adsorption power of GO.