Nano-PAA-CuCl2 Composite as Fenton-Like Reusable Catalyst to Enhanced Degrade Organic Pollutant MB/MO

Abstract

The treatment of organic dye contaminants in wastewaters has now becoming more imperative. Fenton-like degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution was investigated by using a nanostructure that a layer of CuCl2 nanoflake film grown on the top surface of nanoporus anodic alumina substrate (nano-PAA-CuCl2) as catalyst. The new nano-PAA-CuCl2 composite was fabricated with self-assembly approach, that is, a network porous structure film composed of CuCl2 nanoflake grown on the upper surface of nanoporous anodic alumina substrate, and the physical and chemical properties are characterized systematically with the X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The experimental results showed that the nano-PAA-CuCl2 catalyst presented excellent properties for the degradation of two typical organic pollutants such as MB and MO, which were almost completely degraded with 8 × 10−4mol/L nano-PAA-CuCl2 catalyst after 46 min and 60 min at reaction conditions of H2O2 18 mM and 23 mM, respectively. The effects of different reaction parameters such as initial pH, H2O2 concentration, catalyst morphology and temperature were attentively studied. And more, the stability and reusability of nano-PAA-CuCl2 were examined. Finally, the mechanism of MB and MO degradation by the nano-PAA-CuCl2/H2O2 system was proposed, based on the experimental data of the BCA and the temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and theoretical analysis, the reaction kinetics belonged to the pseudo-first-order equation. This new nanoporous composite material and preparation technology, as well as its application in Fenton-like reaction, provide an effective alternative method with practical application significance for wastewater treatment.