Adroit effect of copper nanoparticles and copper nanozyme and their effective decolorization of azo dyes

Abstract

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have garnered considerable attention owed to their straightforward and cost-effective synthesis techniques, making them suitable for various applications across several fields. This paper describes a straightforward method for synthesizing CuNPs using the aqueous chemical reduction approach. A unique copper nanozyme (CNZ) is also prepared to degrade dyes. The nanoparticles were analyzed using various techniques to examine their morphological structure, optical properties, functional groups, and crystallite size via SEM, UV–visible spectrophotometry, FTIR, XRD, and zeta potential with particle size analyzer. SEM analysis showed that the CuNPs have a cubical form, with particle size fluctuating from 250 to 300 nm. The CNZ has a flower-like structure with a typical 100 to 150 nm size. The zeta potential of CuNPs is measured to be + 23.4 mV, indicating a high level of stability for the nanoparticles. The XRD evaluation showed that the CuNPs displayed a prominent peak at an angle of 36.64°, indicating a crystallite size of 26.97 nm. The CNZ displayed a peak at 31.18 nm, corresponding to a crystallite size of 44.84 nm. The capacity of CuNPs and CNZ to degrade a combination of dyes (Methyl orange, Methyl red, Congo red, Tropaeolin-O, and Tartrazine) was investigated. The innovative approach utilizing CNZ and CuNPs resulted in a degradation percentage of 84.61 % for mixed colors. Experimental findings have demonstrated that the combined effect of CuNPs and CNZ is remarkably effective in catalytically degrading azo dyes, making it a highly efficient method for treating effluents from the textile sector and wastewater treatment.