Application of efficient photocatalytic process using a novel BiVO/TiO2-NaY Zeolite composite for removal of Acid Orange 10 dye in aqueous solutions: Modeling by response surface methodology (RSM)

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to investigate the photocatalytic properties of a novel synthesized BiVO 4 /TiO 2 -NaY zeolite composite using the hydrothermal method for the removal of acid orange 10 (AO10), a typical azo dye, from aqueous solutions. In this respect, the experimental results revealed that the as-prepared BiVO 4 /TiO 2 -NaY zeolite composite had exhibited higher visible light photocatalytic performance for AO10 degradation than other materials under the irradiation of 12 W white LED lamp. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency was due to the fact that reduction in the recombination of electrons and holes had been supported by zeolite. The structural properties of the studied materials were also confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXA), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Moreover; the optimization of the experiments was performed using response surface methodology (RSM). At the optimum conditions, the observed maximum AO10 removal efficiency was reported by 99.91% of initial dye concentration: 10 mg/L, initial pH: 3, reaction time: 50 min, as well as catalyst dosage: 0.17 g/100 ml. Thus, this novel BiVO 4 /TiO 2 -NaY zeolite could be used as an effective catalyst to reduce AO10 dye from contaminated water.