MOF assisted synthesis of a Ho2O3/CNT nanocomposite photocatalyst for organic pollutants degradation

Abstract In this work, a holmium oxide (Ho2O3/CNT) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized through a MOF assisted route for the first time. The effects of the morphology and purity on the photocatalytic behavior of the products, were investigated by determining various physicochemical properties. The Ho2O3/CNT nanocomposite was systematically analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy studies. The Ho2O3 derived from a MOF assisted synthetic route using Ho(NO3)3·5H2O and terephthalic acid with a 1:1 M ratio at a temperature of 750 °C for 3 h prove the most advantageous, 98% degradation of 20 mg/L aqueous tetracycline pollutant was observed within 60 min. The elevated photocatalytic activity was mainly attributable to the unique synthetic route, improved crystallinity, wide UV-light absorption rate and excellent adsorption capabilities of CNT, as well as enhanced oxygen deficiency. The photocatalytic results confirm that the Ho2O3/CNT nanocomposite is an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of toxic tetracycline pollutant and is thus suitable for use in environmental remediation.