Asymmetric phthalocyanine-graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets conjugate on zinc oxide fibers for combined ultrasound and visible light driven degradation of Rhodamine 6G

Abstract

This study reports on the fabrication of zinc-phthalocyanine (complex 3) linked to graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets and supported on zinc oxide fibers (to form 3-g-C3N4-ZnO fibers) as a potential catalyst for photo, sono and photosono-degradation of Rhodamine 6G. The catalysts were characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The 3-g-C3N4-ZnO fibers showed higher degradation activity when compared to the individual components, with 96.7 % degradation efficiency achieved in the photosono process. The degradation followed pseudo first order kinetics. Singlet oxygen was the dominant reaction species in photo-catalytic process, while both singlet oxygen and hydroxide radicals were dominant species in the sono- and photosono-degradation processes. The obtained results suggest that the 3-g-C3N4-ZnO fibers are promising catalysts for degradation of organic pollutants.