Anodic TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTAs) have attracted much attention due to their excellent photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties. In this work, the tube length of TNTAs was optimized for efficient PEC water splitting under two different conditions, in which very few or a massive amount of gas bubbles were generated on the electrodes. As a result, relatively longer TNTAs were found to be preferable for higher PEC performance when a larger number of bubbles were generated. This suggests that the mass transport in the electrolyte is assisted by the generated bubbles, so that the electrode surfaces are more easily exposed to the fresh electrolyte, leading to the higher PEC performance.
The ability of poly-ferric-silicate-sulphate (PFSS) synthesized via a co-polymerization process has been applied for the removal of diazo Congo red dye. A novel degradation pathway of diazo Congo red dye by using PFSS is proposed based on LC–MS analysis. Diazo Congo red dye was successfully removed using synthesized PFSS at lower coagulant dosages and a wider pH range, i.e., 9 mg/L from pH 5 to 7, 11 mg/L at pH 9, and 50 mg/L at pH 11. The azo bond cleavage was verified by the UV–Vis spectra of diazo Congo red-loaded PFSS and FTIR spectra which showed disappearance of the peak at 1584 cm−1 for –N=N– stretching vibrations. The synchronized results of UV–Vis spectra, FTIR, and the LC–MS analysis in this study confirmed the significance of the Si and Fe bond in PFSS towards the degradation of diazo Congo red dye. The successfully synthesized PFSS coagulant was characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, and HRTEM analysis. From this analysis, it was proven that PFSS is a polycrystalline material which is favorable for the coagulation–flocculation process. Based on all these findings, it was established that synthesized PFSS can be employed as a highly efficient polymeric coagulant for the removal of dye from wastewater.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.