Decolorization Of wastewater by photocatalysis using cornstalk biochar embedded titanium dioxide

Abstract

This study investigated the potential of a TiO2-biochar composite photocatalyst for removing dye contaminants from wastewater. Biochar was produced from corn stalks via pyrolysis and was combined with synthetic TiO2 to CB0.1/1, CB0.2/1, CB0.5/1, and CB1/1. The reactivity of the photocatalysts was evaluated by oxidizing methylene blue and wastewater. BET analysis showed that CB500 had a surface area and porosity of 13.73 m2/g and 0.042 cm3/g, respectively. XRD analysis showed that the synthetic TiO2 matched the reference, with a conspicuous peak at 2θ = 25.3 degrees connected to the crystal plane of Anatase TiO2. The reactivity of photocatalysts was assessed through the oxidation of methylene blue and wastewater. The TiO2-biochar composite exhibited exceptional photocatalytic activity due to its high anatase content, resulting in markedly greater dye adsorption than individual components. Additionally, the CB0.1/1 composite successfully decolorized wastewater under UV-A, with a nearly 85% decrease in color within the initial 10 minutes. The findings demonstrate that the TiO2-biochar composite holds great promise for efficient wastewater treatment.