Copper modified exchanger for the photodegradation of methyl orange dye

AbstractA Cu modified hybrid exchanger was synthesized by loading Cu(II) onto the sulfonic acid sites of the C-145 cation exchanger by passing CuSO4 solution followed by treatment with sodium hydroxide to deposit the copper hydroxide particles. Each hybrid sorbent particle is essentially a spherical macroporous cation exchanger bead within which agglomerates of nanoscale hydrated Cu oxide particles have been uniformly and irreversibly dispersed using a simple chemical–thermal treatment. The obtained material was characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The obtained materials were applied for the photo-decolorization of methyl orange as a member of the azo dye family, in an aqueous medium using UV irradiation (λ = 254 nm) under different experimental conditions. The effect of catalyst concentration and pH on the decolorization of methyl orange dye was investigated. The decolorization of methyl orange dye has been followed using UV–vis spe...