Research Information System
Process Integration and Optimization for Sustainability, vol.0, no.0, pp.1-11, 2021 (Journal Indexed in ESCI)
Photocatalytic processes are center of interest for environmental
researchers long since, due to their effectiveness for the degradation
of refractory compounds which cannot be decomposed by conventional
treatment methods. The most important parameter for these processes,
which affects the photocatalytic performance, is undoubtedly the type of
the photocatalysts used. It is usually required to conduct many
experimental studies to understand the effectiveness of different types
of materials as photocatalysts and to determine the most suitable
photocatalyst for the target pollutant. To assist and facilitate this
photocatalyst selection process through evaluating the literature and
refraining from experimental studies, an example of a theoretical
approach of fuzzy axiomatic design (FAD) is introduced to elect TiO2, ZnO, α-Fe2O3, WO3, and Bi2WO6
exclusively for removal of azo dyes as target refractory organic. While
assessing the considered photocatalysts, azo dye degradation studies in
the literature were reviewed in order to determine and evaluate the
criteria. Accordingly, seven criteria were determined, namely,
photocatalytic activities in ultraviolet (UV) and visible regions,
mineralization efficiency, chemical inertness, photostability, toxicity,
and required catalyst loading. These criteria were evaluated through
both the acceptation of having equal and also different weights. For
pairwise weighting of criteria, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was
utilized. By means of this study, a scientific basis to the catalyst
selection for photocatalysis of azo dye was introduced via FAD approach.
According to the defined criteria, Bi2WO6 was
selected as the most convenient among the evaluated materials with the
information contents for equal and different weight cases as 4.57 and
1.26, respectively. In this study, it is aimed to create a systematic
generic basis with the FAD approach in the field of environmental
engineering to the selection of photocatalysts for bio-refractory
organics by taking azo dyes as a target pollutant.