Preparation of MoO/MoS composite for enhanced photoelectrocatalytic removal of antimony from petrochemical wastewaters.

By doping of MoO to MoS, MoO/MoS composite was produced to treat the antimony (Sb) from raw petrochemical industry wastewater. The effects of increasing MoO/MoS composite concentrations (0.01, 0.06, 0.50, 1.20, and 6 mg/L), times (5 min, 10 min, 20 min, 60 min, 80 min), and simulated sun light powers (2, 15, and 26 mW/m) on the removal of Sb was researched. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), MoS exhibited a pure hexagonal structure with peaks at 2Ɵ data of 15.56, 33.78, 40.59, and 61.43 cm while MoO peaks showed similar configuration with the orthorhombic stage. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to analyze the chemical composition. After Sb removal, the additional MoO peaks were determined at 680, 967, and 997 cm. XPS spectra showed that after an oxidation period, "MoS" was generated. Binding energy analysis showed that Mo ions were produced from the partial transformation of MoO The MoO exhibited a vertical stacking on the MoS. The filtered MoS graph and relevant fast Fourier transfer pictures showed octahedral phase containing a proton. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis results showed that nano MoO exhibited a nanobelt structure. The maximum 10 mg/L Sb removal was 93% at 1.20 mg/L MoO/MoS composite concentration at pH = 9 after 20 min at 15 mW/m simulated sunlight power via photoelectrocatalysis while the maximum Sb removal via adsorption was detected as 80% for the same operational conditions in unilluminated conditions.