In situ fabrication of n-type Ag/AgBr nanoparticles in MCM-41 with rice husk (RH/MCM-41) composite for the removal of Eriochrome Black-T

摘要

Composite of MCM-41 with rice husk (RH/MCM-41) was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Rice husk served as not only a silica source but also as a substrate for the deposition of MCM-41. Ag/AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were incorporated in RH/MCM-41 by in situ method. The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as an organic template and bromide ions sources for synthesis of MCM-41 and AgBr NPs, respectively. The hybrid composite was characterized by XRD, SEM, DRS and TEM and tested as photocatalytic removal of Eriochrome Black-T (EBT) dye from aqueous solution under visible light. The SEM and TEM images also confirmed the formation of MCM-41 particles in the range 150-200 nm over RH and locating of Ag/AgBr NPs with an average size of between 2 and 30 nm. The results showed the EBT removal reached 99.04% at 1.48% AgBr loading in nanocomposite. The EBT indicated maximum adsorption at pH = 2, but it was decomposed more at pH = 7.