Facile Synthesis of PPy ‐ V ₂ O ₅ ‐ AgI Composites for Efficient Photocatalysts and Effective Supercapacitors: Toward the Promise of Highly Reusable Performance and Morphological Topography

ABSTRACT The photocatalytic removal of methylene blue (MB) with kinetic study and supercapacitance properties was investigated utilizing PPy‐V ₂ O ₅ ‐AgI composites. The PPy‐V ₂ O ₅ ‐AgI composites were synthesized with the addition of V ₂ O ₅ and AgI in the range of 3 to 10 wt% via in situ oxidative polymerization of pyrrole (Py) and were investigated by FTIR, PL, XRD, FESEM, and EDX techniques. To monitor the maximum photodegradation efficiency of MB removal, several independent variables including pH, photocatalyst dosage, MB concentration, and temperature effects were investigated. The experimental findings demonstrate that composites obtained with lower addition of V ₂ O ₅ and AgI (3 wt%) show higher removal efficiency (91%) than other synthesized composites. The pH effect revealed the maximum 98% MB removal at alkaline conditions. The highest removal (99%) as well as a higher degradation rate was identified for a 10 mg dosage of composites, while the effect of dye concentration and temperature study exhibited 93% removal for 3 ppm, and 99% removal was identified at 55°C. The composites are highly reusable with 87% removal even at the fourth cycle of their usage. The assessment of several scavengers verified that photogenerated holes and hydroxyl radicals were the primary agents responsible for MB photodegradation. Electrochemical studies exhibited the superior specific capacitance, energy density, and power density of 20.28–38.05 F/g, 19.61–38.18 Wh/kg, and 7059.60–13744.80 W/kg, respectively, for the PPy‐V ₂ O ₅ ‐AgI composites compared to PPy. These outcomes highlight the significance of photocatalytic efficiency for sustainable wastewater treatment utilizing PPy‐based composites as well as for supercapacitor applications.