Effect of the Fe2O3/SBA-15 Surface on Inducing Ozone Decomposition and Mass Transfer in Water

Abstract

Catalytic ozonation with metal oxides is of interest for advanced water treatment technology. The amount of active oxygen-containing radicals produced is a primary objective of this process. Fe2O3 is a widely used catalyst because of its high performance. In this study, Fe2O3/SBA-15 was synthesized and characterized. The results revealed that Fe2O3/SBA-15 was a nano-/mesoporous material with high-order hexagonal array structures and exhibited greater catalytic performance than Fe2O3 in ozonation processes. To investigate the role of the Fe2O3/SBA-15 surface in O3 decomposition, the kinetic constant was measured, and the interfacial reactions were discussed. Compared with Fe2O3, Fe2O3/SBA-15 significantly increased the formation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and the efficient utilization of O3 in the catalytic O3 decomposition process. The SBA-15 support decreased the O3 self-decomposition rate during catalytic ozonation with Fe2O3/SBA-15, which resulted in increased formation of •OH via the reaction between O3 and Fe2O3. From a practical point of view, Fe2O3/SBA-15 is an efficient green ozonation catalyst for water treatment.