Cellulose acetate membranes loaded with WO 3 /g-C 3 N 4 : a synergistic approach for effective photocatalysis.

This study documents the effective synthesis of a composite photocatalyst comprising WO3/g-C3N4 loaded onto cellulose acetate (CA) using a hydrothermal method, followed by annealing for two hours at 400 °C. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized nanocomposites were validated using a range of techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV DRS). SEM analysis revealed that the WO3/g-C3N4 (WCN) particles exhibited an intriguing morphology, displaying a well-decorated arrangement on the surface of cellulose acetate (CA) in the form of spherical particles. The successfully synthesized film was utilized as a potential adsorbent for the removal of organic pollutants such as Rhodamine B (Rh-B) and Methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions under UV light illumination. The results showcased the significant potential of the WCN@CA nanocomposite, achieving a remarkable 83% and 85% efficiency in eliminating Rh-B and MB. The pseudo-first-order kinetic models proved to be the suitable kinetic model for both dye adsorption on the WCN@CA nanocomposite. The WCN@CA catalyst, boasting five-time reusability without a substantial decrease in efficiency, demonstrates the considerable potential for the decomposition of toxic organic pollutants.&#xD.