Abstract
A novel laponite RD clay-based Fe nanocomposite (Fe-Lap-RD) has been successfully synthesized through a reaction between a solution of iron salt and an aqueous dispersion of laponite RD clay. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results reveal that the Fe-Lap-RD mainly consists of Fe
2O
3 (maghemite) and Fe
2Si
4O
10(OH)
2 (iron silicate hydroxide), which have tetragonal and monoclinic structures, respectively, and has a high specific surface area as well as a high pore volume. The photo-catalytic activity of the Fe-Lap-RD was examined in the photo-assisted degradation of an organic azo dye Orange II. It was found that the mineralization of Orange II undergoes a slower kinetics than discoloration, and 70% total organic carbon (TOC) of
0.2
mM
Orange II can be removed in
90
min
, implying that the Fe-Lap-RD exhibited a high photo-catalytic activity in the presence of H
2O
2 and UV light
(254
nm)
in the photo-assisted degradation of Orange II. In addition, our experiments also illustrate that the Fe-Lap-RD has a long-term stability but is of low cost. This study illustrates the possibility of photo-assisted degradation of organic compounds without the requirements to remove the Fe ions after reaction. Two possible catalytic reaction mechanisms are also proposed.