Photocatalytic Fe3O4/SiO2@g-C3N4 nanocomposites incorporated into ultrafiltration membranes for the removal and degradation of pollutants in groundwater

Abstract: Fe3O4/SiO2@GCN nanocomposites were synthesized and integrated into ultrafiltration (UF) membranes for the removal and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes from wastewater in this study. The basic nanomaterials graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4 or GCN) nanosheets, Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and SiO2 nanospheres were the focus of the first part of the research. The GCN nanosheets were synthesized through the thermal polymerization of dicyandiamide in a muffle furnace. The Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized using FeCl2∙4H2O and FeCl3∙6H2O, and the SiO2 nanospheres were produced via the sol-gel method using sodium silicate solution (SSS) as a precursor. The nanomaterials were then combined to create four nanocomposites (SiO2@GCN, Fe3O4/SiO2, Fe3O4@GCN, and Fe3O4/SiO2@GCN). The compositional, morphological, surface, thermal, and optical properties of the nanomaterials and nanocomposites were studied. Furthermore, adding Fe3O4 and SiO2 nanomaterials increased the surface area of Fe3O4@GCN and that of Fe3O4/SiO2@GCN nanocomposites by 13.5 times, while SiO2@GCN nanocomposites increased by 14.8 times. The nanocomposites' adsorption capacity was improved as a result of the increased surface area, resulting in more significant photocatalytic activity. The band gap energy of GCN was determined to be 2.794 eV, and the nanomaterials Fe3O4 and SiO2 narrowed the band gap energy of the nanocomposites to a range of 1.574 eV and 2.521 eV. A narrow band gap energy is vital because it enhances the spectrum of light absorption and, consequently, photocatalytic activity...M.Sc. (Chemistry