Non-metal doped ZnO photocatalyst prepared by sonication-assisted Sol-gel method and use for dye degradation

Abstract

SeO2/ZnO (1, 3, 5%) nanopowders were synthesized by a sonication-assisted sol–gel method for the first time. They were characterized by spectroscopic, morphological, and microscopic measurements. To determine the photocatalytic activity of these nanoparticles, methylene blue (MB) was used as the model pollutant under solar light. The capacity of these novel nanopowders to form hydroxyl and superoxide radicals has been demonstrated by using scavengers such as benzoic acid and triphenylphosphine, respectively. The capture experiments were also supported by some spectroscopic analyzes. It was seen that superoxide radical species played an important role. For the dye degradation, 1% SeO2/ZnO among nano samples showed the best photocatalytic performance, achieving approximately 94% decrease after 90 min of UV–visible light irradiation. The reusability of 1% SeO2/ZnO catalyst with the best photocatalytic activity was tested five times. The new catalyst was found to be quite stable without reducing the efficiency.