Synthesis of MIL-53(Fe)/SiO 2 composite from LD slag as a novel photo-catalyst for methylene blue degradation

In this work, MIL-53(Fe)/SiO2 nano-composite has been synthesized from raw LD slag, a steel industry waste containing high Fe2O3 and SiO2, by facile solvo-thermal process. The physical and photo-catalytic properties of the MIL-53(Fe)/SiO2 has been characterized by using FESEM, HRTEM, BET, XRD, FTIR, TG, PL UV-vis spectroscopy standard techniques. The photo-catalyst is having hexagonal nanorod like structures with high BET surface area of 149.1 m(2)/g. MIL-53(Fe)/SiO2 has been found to be UV light sensitive having 0.21 mA/cm(2) photo-current density and band gap of 2.81 eV. The photo-degradation experiments of methylene blue have been carried out at different working conditions to evaluate its photo-catalytic efficiency. The photo-degradation kinetics of methylene blue has been described by first-order kinetics.