Abstract
A new polyaniline/BiYTi₂O₇ polymer composite was synthesized by chemical oxidation in-situ polymerization method for the first time. The effect of polyaniline doping on structural and catalytic properties of BiYTi₂O₇ was reported. The structural properties of novel polyaniline/BiYTi₂O₇ have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis DRS. The results showed that BiYTi₂O₇ crystallized well with the pyrochlore-type structure, stable cubic crystal system by space group Fd3m. The lattice parameter or band gap energy of BiYTi₂O₇ was found to be a = 10.2132 Å or 2.349 eV, respectively. The novel polyaniline/BiYTi₂O₇ polymer composite possessed higher catalytic activity compared with BiYTi₂O₇ or nitrogen doped TiO₂ for photocatalytic degradation of Azocarmine G under visible light irradiation. Additionally, the Azocarmine G removal efficiency was boosted from 3.0% for undoped BiYTi₂O₇ to 78.0% for the 10% polyaniline-modified BiYTi₂O₇, after only 60 min of reaction. After visible light irradiation for 330 min with polyaniline/BiYTi₂O₇ polymer composite as photocatalyst, complete removal and mineralization of Azocarmine G was observed. The photocatalytic degradation of Azocarmine G followed first-order reaction kinetics. Ultimately, the promoter action of H₂O₂ for photocatalytic degradation of AG with BiYTi₂O₇ as catalyst in the wastewater was discovered.