Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Reactive Dyes over FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) Heterojunction in the Presence of H sub(2)O sub(2)

In this work, photocatalytic degradation of two reactive dyes, Reactive Yellow 84 (RY 84) and Reactive Black 5 (RB 5), on FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) heterojunction in the presence of UV-visible radiation and H sub(2)O sub(2) has been reported. FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) heterojunction has been prepared from ilmenite FeTiO sub(3) and anatase TiO sub(2) by employing oxalic acid as an organic linker. FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) ratios have been varied from 1 to 5 wt.%, and the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and diffused reflectance UV-visible spectroscopic analysis. The photocatalytic activity of FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) heterojunction for the degradation of the organic dyes RY 84 and RB 5 in the presence of UV-visible light was found to be higher than that of pure TiO sub(2). The addition of H sub(2)O sub(2) increases the rate of degradation of both dyes on FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) heterojunction. It facilitates the fast degradation of dye solutions even when their concentration was above 100 mg/l, which is otherwise very slow due to the low transmittance of light by the dye solution. The extent of mineralisation of the reactive dye during photocatalytic degradation was estimated from chemical oxygen demand analysis. FeTiO sub(3)/TiO sub(2) heterojunction photocatalyst was also found to have good photostability; the material retains almost 97 % of its initial activity even in the fifth cycle.