Synthesis and characterization of Fe₂O₃/Mn₂O₃/FeMn₂O₄ nano composite alloy coated glass for photo-catalytic degradation of Reactive Blue 222

Fe₂O₃/Mn₂O₃/FeMn₂O₄ nano-composite coated glass was synthesised by a one step method and applied for the photo-catalytic degradation of Reactive Blue 222 as a diazo textile dye from aquatic environment. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis DRS). XRD pattern confirmed the spinel structure of FeMn₂O₄ and bixbyite structure for (Mn,Fe)₂O₃. FESEM results showed an average size of the Fe₂O₃/Mn₂O₃/FeMn₂O₄ nano-composite at about 15 nm. UV–Vis DRS spectrum showed absorptions between 392–495 nm with strong absorption at visible region of solar light. The band gap energy of nano-composite was about 3.1 eV. The photcatalytic activity of Fe₂O₃/Mn₂O₃/FeMn₂O₄ nano-composite coated glass were best described by a pseudo first order model and showed an excellect activity in degradation of Reactive Blue 222 with 82% efficiency and 78% TOC removal. The results showed that Fe₂O₃/Mn₂O₃/FeMn₂O₄ nano-composite coated glass is a promising low cost photo-catalyst for the mineralization of Reactive Blue 222 as a diazo textile dye from aquatic environment.