Reduced Metal-Codoped TiO 2 /LSX Zeolite Catalysis: A Sustainable Solution for Crystal Violet Dye Degradation

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Water pollution due to synthetic dyes such as crystal violet (CV) poses significant environmental and health risks due to its toxicity and persistence. This study investigates the synthesis of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and TiO 2 /low silica Type X (LSX) zeolite composites using different TiO 2 precursor concentrations (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 M) and metal-doped variants (Ag 0 /TiO 2, Ag 0 –TiO 2 /LSX, Fe 0 /TiO 2, and Fe 0 –TiO 2 /LSX) via sol–gel and borohydride reduction methods. Characterization techniques used are XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, BET, TG-DTG, UV–vis spectroscopy, and TEM and HRTEM analysis. Photodegradation has been carried out in the removal of CV dye from aqueous solutions. LSX due to its high surface area (687.408 m 2 /g) and TiO 2 with a high bandgap of 3.2 eV are found most suitable in UV photocatalysis. Metal doping reduced the band gaps, e.g., from 3.2 eV of TiO 2 to 2.64 eV of Ag 0 /TiO 2 and 1.91 eV of Fe 0 /TiO 2, enhancing UV-light responsiveness. Batch adsorption and photocatalytic degradation under dark and UV-assisted radiation revealed that Ag 0 /TiO 2 and Fe 0 /TiO 2 photocatalysts showed the highest removal efficiencies of 97.45% and 84.81%, along with adsorption capacities up to 20.98 and 18.26 mg/g, respectively. The comparatively lower performance of TiO 2 /LSX composites than that of pure TiO 2 and pure Na-LSX is attributed to surface coverage by TiO 2, which limited the accessibility of active sites. Challenges such as pore blockage, surface coverage, dealumination, and Ag 0 and Fe 0 agglomeration necessitate further optimization. These findings highlight the potential of Ag 0 -and Fe 0 -doped zeolite composites for sustainable wastewater treatment along with future research needed to enhance scalability and real-world applicability.