Excellent degradation performance of the Fe78Si11B9P2 metallic glass in azo dye treatment

Abstract Fe78Si11B9P2 metallic glass (MG) ribbons are proved to exhibit excellent comprehensive ability in azo dye treatment. The Fe78Si11B9P2 MG ribbons can degrade the azo dye effectively, which derived from high mass and electron transfer ability due to the cotton-like structure formed during the reaction. The degradation efficiency and reaction rate raise with the decrease of the initial Orange Ⅱ concentration, the increase of ribbon dosage and the proper addition of H2O2. The Fe78Si11B9P2 MG ribbons are more applicable in acidic and neutral solutions. Compared to the other reported Fe-based metallic glasses for dye degradation, the Fe78Si11B9P2 MG has a lower reaction activation energy and relatively good reusability in treating with azo dye. In addition, the achieved high COD removal indicates that the complex organic structures in azo dye can be decomposed completely by Fe78Si11B9P2 MG ribbons. This work not only provides a new effective and low-cost materials for wastewater treatment, but also promotes the practical applications of Fe-based MGs as functional materials.