Recent advancements in environmental remediation have highlighted the exceptional potential of Bi2O3/MXene composites, particularly in the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. A study demonstrated that Bi2O3/MXene composites achieved a 98.7% degradation efficiency of methylene blue (MB) within 60 minutes under visible light irradiation, outperforming pristine Bi2O3 (72.4%) and MXene (45.6%). This enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effect of Bi2O3's high photocatalytic activity and MXene's superior electrical conductivity, which facilitates rapid electron-hole separation and reduces recombination rates. The composite's specific surface area was measured at 312 m²/g, significantly higher than Bi2O3 alone (78 m²/g), enabling greater pollutant adsorption and reaction sites.
The application of Bi2O3/MXene composites in heavy metal ion removal has also shown remarkable efficacy. In a recent experiment, the composite exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 487 mg/g for Pb²⁺ ions, surpassing conventional adsorbents like activated carbon (120 mg/g). The removal efficiency reached 99.2% within 30 minutes at pH 6, with the process fitting well with the Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.993). The presence of oxygen-containing functional groups on MXene and the strong affinity of Bi2O3 for heavy metals were identified as key factors driving this performance. Additionally, the composite demonstrated excellent regeneration capability, retaining 92.5% of its initial adsorption capacity after five cycles.
Bi2O3/MXene composites have also been explored for their antimicrobial properties in water purification systems. A study revealed that the composite achieved a 99.9% reduction in Escherichia coli colonies within 20 minutes under UV light exposure, compared to 75.6% for Bi2O3 alone. The antimicrobial mechanism involves the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), with hydroxyl radical (•OH) production measured at 0.48 µmol/L/min, significantly higher than that of pristine Bi2O3 (0.12 µmol/L/min). This makes the composite a promising candidate for combating microbial contamination in wastewater treatment.
The integration of Bi2O3/MXene composites into advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) has further expanded their environmental applications. In Fenton-like reactions, the composite achieved a 96.8% degradation rate of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) within 40 minutes, with a rate constant (k) of 0.082 min⁻¹, nearly three times higher than that of Bi2O3 alone (0.028 min⁻¹). The enhanced performance is due to MXene's ability to activate persulfate efficiently, generating sulfate radicals (SO₄•⁻) at a concentration of 1.23 mM/min. This highlights the composite's potential for treating persistent organic pollutants in industrial effluents.
Finally, the scalability and sustainability of Bi2O3/MXene composites have been validated through life cycle assessments and pilot-scale studies. A pilot plant utilizing these composites achieved a total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency of 94.5% from textile wastewater at a flow rate of 10 m³/h, with an energy consumption rate of only 1.8 kWh/m³ compared to traditional methods (>4 kWh/m³). The composite's stability was confirmed by XRD analysis showing no significant structural changes after prolonged use (>500 hours). These findings underscore its viability as a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for large-scale environmental remediation.
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