Photocatalytic Performance of a WO₃/TiO₂/SiO₂ Composite for Rhodamine B Degradation Under Different Light Conditions

Noor Hindryawati; Karina Adhaina; Soerja Koesnarpadia

doi:10.59890/ijgsr.v4i9.332

Authors

Noor Hindryawati Mulawarman University, Samarinda
Karina Adhaina Islamic School Senior High School, Balikpapan
Soerja Koesnarpadia Mulawarman University, Samarinda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59890/ijgsr.v4i9.332

Keywords:

WO₃/Tio₂/Sio₂ Composite, Photocatalysis, Rhodamine B, Visible Light Degradation

Abstract

A WO₃/TiO₂/SiO₂ composite was synthesized and evaluated as a photocatalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B. The composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). SEM analysis revealed an irregular and heterogeneous surface morphology with pronounced particle agglomeration. The XRD pattern indicated the coexistence of monoclinic WO₃ and anatase TiO₂, while SiO₂ exhibited a predominantly amorphous character. EDX analysis showed 7.60% WO₃, 21.80% TiO₂, and 64.50% SiO₂, together with 6.12% minor oxide components. Under the contact-time experiment, 89.03% Rhodamine B degradation was obtained after 75 min using 0.15 g of composite and 10 ppm dye under visible-light irradiation. In the initial-concentration experiment, the highest observed degradation was 86.40% at an initial Rhodamine B concentration of 10 ppm. Among the irradiation conditions evaluated, visible light produced the highest degradation (89.30%), compared with UV irradiation (69.30%) and the dark condition (67.90%). These results indicate that the WO₃/TiO₂/SiO₂ composite exhibited the highest Rhodamine B removal under the tested visible-light conditions, with adsorption and non-photochemical processes also contributing to dye removal

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