Performance of SiO2/Ag Core/Shell particles in sonocatalalytic degradation of Rhodamine B.

In this study, SiO2/Ag Core/Shell nanoparticles was prepared and sonocatalytic activity of prepared catalyst was investigated by using Rhodamine B as model contaminant, at 35 kHz using ultrasonic power of 160 W within 90 min. The change in efficiency in the sonocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B catalyzed by SiO2/Ag Core/Shell nanoparticles with respect to the initial concentration of dye, catalyst amount and temperature were firstly investigated. Optimal conditions were found as follows: catalyst amount = 15 mg/L, Temperature = 25 °C and initial concentration of dye = 10 ppm. Influence factors such as pH of solution, O2 saturation of solution and the concentration of H2O2 added to the solution, on degradation efficiency in presence of catalyst, were investigated. SiO2/Ag Core/Shell nanoparticles showed higher sonocatalytic activity at pH = 7 with respect to acidic and alkaline conditions. Degradation efficiency was reached up to 67% in experiments which air pumped (0.6 L/min) through the solution with in 90 min. It was observed that the dye removal increased via increase while H2O2 concentration lower than 10 mM. Higher concentration of H2O2 than the optimal concentration had adverse effect on degradation efficiency. Our results showed that the SiO2/Ag Core/Shell nanoparticles were active catalyst for sonocatalytic degradation of dyes. Reusability of the catalyst was investigated.