Utilizing banana peel in conjunction with TiO2 photocatalyst for the efficient decolorization of malachite green

Abstract

Porous materials are frequently integrated into TiO2 photocatalysts due to their enhanced surface area and reaction efficiency. This study aimed to enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment by developing a TiO2 combined with banana peel (BP) through the sol-gel method. The TiO2/BP composite was extensively analyzed using a range of methods, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS UV–vis), photoluminescence spectra (PL), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis. Subsequent evaluation of the photoactivity of the TiO2/BP composite compared to bare TiO2 particles revealed a noteworthy enhancement in decolorizing malachite green (MG) dye under visible light. Furthermore, recyclability testing further demonstrated consistent performance for up to four cycles, highlighting the potential application of this porous material-based photocatalytic composite in wastewater treatment.

Keywords

• Titanium dioxide
• Banana peel
• Malachite green
• TiO2