Synthesis and characterization of Ti-dopedY2O3@C3N4 nanocomposite for the removal of dyes from aqueous solution

The hazards of organic dyes still threaten the ecosystem and continue to be a widespread concern worldwide. It was inevitable that scientists would discover an effective method for removing organic dyes from water sources. Accordingly, this study aims to fabricate Ti-dopedY2O3@C3N4 nanocomposites (TYCN) with high surface area and superior adsorption capacity to determine their capability and effectiveness in removing hazardous and harmful dye molecules. A mesoporous nanocomposite, TYCN was successfully synthesized through sonication in an ethanolic solution followed by evaporation and calcination. The nanomaterial compound was analyzed using different techniques such as FESEM, HRTEM, BET, XRD, and FTIR to determine their configuration, crystalline phase, surface properties, chemical bonding, and morphology. The TYCN nanohybrids exhibited a 2D nanosheet architectures with about 30 nm thickness with a surface area of 115 m2/g. The synthesized compound was examined as sorbents for removing Malachite green (MG) from aqueous solutions. The obtained results confirm that the concentration of MG dye decreases exponentially with increasing solution pH in the range of 3 to 5. A pseudo-first-order kinetic model and Langmuir equations were used to model MG dye absorption and removal into TYCN. Based on this hypothesis, MG dye's maximum nanocomposite removal capacity was observed to be 746.6 mg/g. The findings emphasized that the TYCN nanocomposite is an excellent and effective adsorbent for MG dye and other organic dyes.