Preparation of zeolite by green synthesis from steel industry by-product LD-slag and its application for photodegradation

The sodalite zeolite (SOD-zeolite) was synthesized via the green synthesis technique and the prepared sample was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Field emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM), Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) instruments. As confirmed by the XRD analysis, the SOD phase was dominated highly. However, the presence of a zeolite X sample has been identified. The BET surface area of the mesoporous type synthesized zeolite sample was found to be 18.11 m²/g. Thermal analysis reveals that the zeolite sample can sustain at an elevated temperature i.e., up to 1000 °C without any structural deformation. The influence of parameters like temperature, catalyst doses, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentration was examined in the dye degradation study. The photodegradation efficiency of the as-synthesized zeolite sample for organic methylene blue (MB) dye was examined and found to be 100 % at 45 °C under visible light. With the highest catalyst dose at 0.05 g/L, the dye degradation was achieved at 95 %. Additionally, the degradation efficiency of the zeolite mixture sample was found to be 99.04 %, and 94.24 %, at 35, and 55 °C, respectively. The cost analysis study shows that converting hazardous LD-slag into a zeolite-like value-added material is an environmentally benign and sustainable way to reduce it.