Novel synthesized V2O5-doped PMMA nanocomposite films for effective photocatalytic removal of methylene blue from water

Abstract The synergistic effects of population growth, industrialization, and urbanization drive an increase in environmental crises, such as water pollution. Polymeric nanocomposites (PNCs) offer a promising trend for large-scale applications in environmental remediation including photocatalytic water pollutants. In this work, V 2 O 5 nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and successfully incorporated into PMMA using the casting method. A series of V 2 O 5 /PMMA photocatalyst films have been fabricated with various loading content of V 2 O 5 NPs. The morphological, crystal structure, and optical properties of the prepared V 2 O 5 /PMMA photocatalysts were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry, respectively. The SEM images indicate that there are mainly physical interactions between PMMA and V 2 O 5 NPs. Moreover, the prepared V 2 O 5 /PMMA films before and after treatment with H 2 O 2 + UV were evaluated toward MB photodegradation under UV irradiation. The results obtained showed that doping V 2 O 5 NPs into PMMA could inhibit the recombination rate of the photogenerated charge carriers. Among all prepared catalysts, the highest photocatalytic performance toward MB degradation under UV irradiation was obtained using the treated P-VPO1 nanocomposite film (0.033% V 2 O 5 /PMMA) compared to other formulations. Approximately 80% of MB was degraded after 60 min of UV irradiation in the presence of the treated P-VPO1. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the promoting effect of the H 2 O 2 + UV treatment for the prepared V 2 O 5 doped PMMA films and with an appropriate loading amount of V 2 O 5 NPs. Moreover, the P-VPO1 shows good reusability and stability for MB dye photodegradation after five consecutive runs under UV irradiation. This study reported a straightforward, and rapid approach to fabricate an improved V 2 O 5 /PMMA nanocomposite films with excellent reusability and attractive photocatalytic properties for diverse environmental applications, including water treatment. Graphical Abstract