Design an‎d synthesis of silver compound composites an‎d zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks for the photocatalytic removal of environmental pollutants

10/15/2026 12:00:00 AM

In this study, a novel photocatalytic nanocomposite was designed, synthesized, an‎d characterized with the aim of enhancing the efficiency of degrading persistent organic pollutants in aqueous environments. To this end, a zirconium-based metal–organic framework (MOF-808) was first synthesized, an‎d subsequently modified through post-synthetic modification by anchoring an organic bismuthiol ligan‎d onto its surface. In the final step, heterostructured composites of MOF-808-Bismuthiol@AgI with varying weight percentages of silver iodide (AgI) were prepared. The structure, morphology, an‎d optical properties of the synthesized photocatalysts were confirmed using characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, FT-IR, an‎d DRS. The photocatalytic performance of the composites was eva‎luated for the removal of two common pollutants, namely the dye Rhodamine B an‎d the antibiotic Tetracycline, under visible-light irradiation. The results revealed that the formation of a Z-scheme heterojunction between AgI an‎d the modified MOF facilitated efficient spatial separation of photogenerated charge carriers (electrons an‎d holes). This advanced mechanism led to the enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), particularly hydroxyl an‎d superoxide radicals, which act as the main oxidative agents. These active species attack the molecular structure of pollutants, thereby accelerating their degradation an‎d significantly improving the overall photocatalytic efficiency. It was further observed that the optimal AgI loading depended on the type of pollutant; the composite containing 30 wt% AgI exhibited the highest efficiency for Rhodamine B degradation, while the composite with 15 wt% AgI demonstrated superior performance in Tetracycline removal. These findings highlight the high potential of this newly developed nanocomposite for application in the treatment of industrial an‎d pharmaceutical wastewater. Remarkably, degradation efficiencies of 99.8% for Rhodamine B an‎d 95.1% for Tetracycline were achieved within 150 minutes of visible-light irradiation.

چارچوب‌هاي فلز-آلي/ فوتو‌كاتاليست/ تركيبات نقره/ آلاينده‌هاي محيطي

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) / Photocatalyst / Silver-based composites / Environmental pollutants

Hesam Al-Din Hojjat Shamami

Dr. Sadegh Rostamnia