Abstract
The practical application of powdered photocatalysts is significantly hindered by challenges in recyclability and structural instability. This work proposes a sustainable immobilization strategy by integrating BiVO(4) nanoparticles into a sodium alginate (SA) aerogel scaffold through a facile freeze-drying approach. The abundant hydroxyl/carboxyl groups of SA enable uniform dispersion of BiVO(4) within the porous network, while the aerogel architecture enhances light-harvesting efficiency and mass transfer kinetics. Innovatively, peroxymonosulfate (PMS) was introduced to synergistically couple photocatalysis with sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes (SR-AOPs), where the photogenerated electrons from BiVO(4) effectively activate PMS to yield high-activity ·SO(4)(-) radicals. The optimized BiVO(4)/SA aerogel achieves nearly complete removal of Rhodamine B within 2 h under visible light, which is competitive to pure BiVO(4) powders. In addition, the mechanically robust aerogel exhibits exceptional reusability, retaining ~90% efficiency after five cycles without structural collapse. This work provides a paradigm for designing recyclable photocatalyst carriers with dual oxidation pathways, demonstrating significant potential for industrial wastewater treatment.