Green Synthesis and Applications of Nano CeO2/rGO Solar Active Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Basic Auramine-O Dye

Abstract

In present study, the preparation of solar active photocatalyst and its application for the detoxification and degradation of dye molecules in aqueous medium is demonstrated. The reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is prepared from graphene oxide (GO) using Carica papaya leaf extract. Nanosize CeO2 was coated over the rGO surface to make a nanocomposite photocatalyst. Prepared composite catalyst was characterized using SEM, HRTEM, XRD, EDX, FTIR, FT-Raman and UV-DRS techniques. The prepared composite catalyst was used for the degradation of auramine-O dye in its aqueous solution using UV and solar irradiations. The degradation kinetics is also evaluated using Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model. The kinetic curves are analyzed using basic algorithm. A deviation from the experimental values and the reaction order is enumerated.