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Browsing Research Articles by Author "Achisa, Cleophas"

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    Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue dye 171 using copper-based metal organic framework
    (Sage Journals, 2025-06) Kiteto, Moses; Vidija, Beryl; Achisa, Cleophas; Mrosso, Register; Chollom, Martha
    The presence of organic dyes in wastewater, particularly the azo chromophore based reactive dyes, is a formidable challenge to existing water treatment technologies. Advanced methods such as the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising solution. The MOFs are versatile and encompass applications in adsorption, photocatalysis, and membrane separation processes. The present study investigated photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Blue dye 171 using copper (II) dipyridyl chloride MOF under visible light (sunlight). The MOF was synthesized via the hydrothermal method and characterized by Light microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The effect of photocatalyst mass (0.1 to 0.3 g) and use of hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor was evaluated. The MOF had uniform well defined hexagonal crystals, and a 3.30 eV band gap energy indicating visible light absorption. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of reactive blue dye increased as the photocatalyst mass increased, reaching 76%, 83%, and 93% for 0.1 g, 0.2 g and 0.3 g, respectively. The addition of hydrogen peroxide as an electron acceptor accelerated the process resulting in a 99% degradation efficiency and a fourfold increase in the first order reaction rate constants from 0.0231 min−1 (MOF) to 0.094 min−1 (MOF + H2O2). The study demonstrated that solar photocatalytic MOFs are a promising material for the degradation of organic pollutants such as dyes from water.