Synthesis and analysis of ZnO‐CoMoO4 incorporated organic compounds for efficient degradation of azo dye pollutants under dark ambient conditions

Abstract

In recent years, the degradation of organic dyes under dark conditions, at room temperature and atmosphere pressure, without additional lights or chemical stimulants, has been widely investigated. Here, a nanocomposite of ZnO‐CoMoO4 was synthesized using an organic template and investigated as a catalyst to degrade methyl orange in aqueous environment under dark, ambient conditions. The organic compounds of Abies Pindrow Royle were reacted with a precursor solution following sol–gel synthesis methodology to modify the chemistry and morphology of ZnO‐CoMoO4, so formed. The structure of the nanocomposite was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy while nanostructures were examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Organic functional groups were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The organic compound incorporated nanocomposite was revealed to be an excellent catalyst with 95% degradation of methyl orange in aqueous environment under dark ambient conditions within 10 min. The catalyst also revealed 99% degradation of azo dye in the presence of solar light. Furthermore, the catalysts illustrated good stability with pseudo first order kinetics (R2 < 1) in the light as well as in the dark conditions with outstanding reusability till four cycles of experiments. Therefore, nanostructure and organic species of Abies Pindrow Royle were found to enhance the catalytic behavior of ZnO‐CoMoO4 towards methyl orange degradation even in dark conditions.