Evaluation of Structural-Optical Properties and Catalytic Performance of BiOI-CuO Heterojunction Photocomposite Embedded in Zeolitic Matrix

In the present study, the impact of immobilizing a BiOI-CuO heterojunction on clinoptilolite zeolite as a support for photocatalytic degradation of the organic pollutant methyl orange (MO) was investigated. To this aim, BiOI-CuO heterojunction photocatalysts with varying weight ratios of BiOI:CuO (2, 3, and 4) were synthesized and embedded in clinoptilolite matrix. Characterization techniques confirmed the successful synthesis of the photocatalysts. FESEM analysis revealed that immobilization of the heterojunction structure on the zeolite support reduced the number of agglomerations. This immobilization not only preserved the morphology of the semiconductors but also led to the formation of a more homogeneous and uniform structure. The results demonstrated enhanced photocatalytic performance for MO degradation due to the formation of a heterojunction between BiOI and CuO semiconductors and their immobilization on clinoptilolite. The combination of 20 wt.% BiOI and 10 wt.% CuO immobilized on clinoptilolite exhibited the highest removal efficiency for MO. This superior performance was attributed to the favorable dispersion and distribution of the active-phase semiconductors on the zeolite support, lower charge carrier recombination and an appropriate bandgap, as confirmed by characterization analyses. Under 2 h of UV light irradiation with a MO concentration of 20 ppm and a photocatalyst dosage of 0.5 g/L, a maximum MO removal efficiency of 85% was achieved under UV light irradiation.