Enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation using surface-modified tungstophosphoric acid-iron magnetic nanocatalyst

This study involved the synthesis and characterization of a magnetically retrievable Fe-based photocatalyst using various analytical techniques. The synthesized TPA@Fe3O4-Pluronic 123 photocatalyst exhibited efficient degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation, and its reusability was evaluated through recycling studies. The incorporation of Pluronic 123 surfactant resulted in significant modifications to the morphological, crystalline, and optical properties of the TPA@Fe3O4 photocatalyst, enhancing its catalytic activity. The nanoscale TPA@Fe3O4-Pluronic 123 photocatalyst demonstrated exceptional photodegradation efficiency, achieving a degradation efficiency of 93.2 % within 90 min using a catalyst loading of 60 mg under a 32 W UV lamp. The efficiency of the recycling catalyst in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue demonstrated a slight decline over consecutive cycles. The degradation efficiency for each cycle were 93.20 %, 92.85 %, 90.54 %, and 87.81 %, respectively. The innovative fabrication process of TPA@Fe3O4-Pluronic 123, coupled with its outstanding capability for dye degradation, offers tremendous potential for the advancement of flexible heterostructures in the field of advanced industrial wastewater treatment.