Highlights

•Inexpensive waste and low temperature treatment for novel photocatalysts synthesis.
•Cr2O3/​C materials from leather skin waste with high potential as photocatalyst.
•High Cr-based catalyst stability in aqueous phase phenol photomineralization.
•Pollutants abatement in water by photocatalysts made from leather industry wastes.

Abstract

Carbonaceous N‑containing materials derived from leather skin residues have been found to have unprecedented photocatalytic properties as compared to P25 Evonik, with an interesting degradation potential for contaminants in water (e.g. phenol). The carbonaceous materials were prepared by carbonization of the leather skin residues at different temperatures (180−600 °C). Different crystalline species of Cr2O3 and TiO2 were found in the materials obtained. In spite of a low surface area and phase crystallinity, a thermally treated material at 180 °C containing doped chromium oxides (eskolaite phase) provided remarkably improved activities with respect to classical titania derived materials.