Development of Prussian blue analogue nanosheets as highly efficient photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants in water sources

Abstract

The incremental contamination of aquatic systems by toxic dyes serves as a reminder of the urgent need to develop efficient photocatalytic materials for water purification. In this study, Prussian Blue analogue (PdTCNi/HCFe) nanosheets were synthesized using a straightforward chemical co-precipitation technique and assessed for their ability to photodegrade Crystal Violet (CV), a representative organic pollutant. Characterization through X-ray diffraction, Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy demonstrated that the nanosheets exhibited a polycrystalline structure, reduced crystallite size, and a large surface area, factors that are critical for improved photocatalytic performance. Optical measurements revealed a band gap of 2.96 eV, making these nanosheets effective under UV irradiation. The Box-Behnken Design and Analysis of Variance were utilized to optimize the key experimental parameters, further enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency. At pH 7, over 99 % of the CV dye was degraded within 60 min. Kinetic analysis provided that the photodegradation followed a pseudo-first-order reaction model. Thermodynamic evaluation indicated that the process was both spontaneous and endothermic, suggesting that the photocatalytic degradation of CV is more favorable at higher temperatures. These findings demonstrate the promising potential of PdTCNi/HCFe nanosheets as an affordable and sustainable photocatalyst for the remediation of organic pollutants in aquatic environments.