Abstract
The zinc oxide–zirconium dioxide (ZnO-ZrO2) heterojunction was prepared by a green method using rubber leaves as reducing and capping agents. Various physicochemical techniques were used to study the chemical composition and the structural and optical properties of the synthesized nanocomposite. The nature of the heterojunction was confirmed through X-ray diffraction and the average sizes of ZnO and ZrO2 crystallites were found to be 70 and 24 nm, respectively. The photocatalytic potential of the ZnO-ZrO2 heterojunction was examined against rhodamine 6G (Rh-6G), and 97.30 percent of the dye was degraded due to the synergistic effect of the light and the catalyst. The commercial ZnO nanopowder was used as a reference catalyst and 86.32 percent degradation was noted under the same reaction conditions. The in vitro antioxidant activity was also performed to scavenge the 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radicals, where the activity of the ZnO-ZrO2 heterojunction was found to be higher than the ascorbic acid.
Highlights
The multifunctional nature of zinc oxide nanopowder (ZnO)-ZrO2 has not been tested, as we have examined the photocatalytic activity against rhodamine 6G and the antioxidant activity against ABTS
A simple and eco-friendly method was used for the synthesis of a multifunctional
The current study proves that the plant-aided process is a very fast and economical technique used for the fabrication of nanomaterials, and a suitable alternative to the toxic chemical and expensive physical methods
Summary
Textile dyes affect the photosynthetic activity of water bodies due to their complex aromatic structures, which make them very stable and difficult to treat [9]. These dyes contaminate the water, causing damage to the aquatic organisms as well as human life because of carcinogenic, allergic, and mutagenic effects [10]. Rhodamine 6G is mainly used in textile industries as a coloring agent It has a reddish-purple color, is water-soluble, and is used in fluorescence microscopy and the detection of antigens in many samples. Drinking water contaminated with rhodamine dye damages the respiratory system and causes irritation to the eyes and skin [11,12]
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