Synthesis and Characterization of Fe2O3/g-C3N4 Photocatalyst from Waste Toner Powder

Abstract

Modern use of electrical and electronic equipment and the rapid development of technologies lead to the production of electronic waste. Electronic waste management is one of the key challenges for the green revolution without affecting the environment. One of the electronic wastes includes toner powder from the printer. Toner powder consists of polymer, carbon black, Fe₃O₄, additives and charge control agents. This paper focuses on the synthesis and characterization of Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. Initially, waste toner powder was calcined at 600 °C at air atmosphere to ensure the complete decomposition of organic residues. Then the obtained Fe₂O₃ was mixed with g-C₃N₄ by polycondensation method for fabrication of Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. The obtained Fe₂O₃, g-C₃N₄ and Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ were characterized by FTIR, SEM and TGA. FTIR and SEM results confirm that Fe₂O₃ is successfully incorporated with g-C₃N₄ while TGA analysis demonstrates an excellent thermal stability for Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst. The physicochemical properties of Fe₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ catalyst demonstrated its ability to be utilized in a variety of photocatalytic reactions. Therefore, the utilization of waste toner powder as an iron (Fe) precursor may offer a great opportunity for waste management and the fortification of the environment such as in wastewater treatment.