Synthesis of PANI@Ce-doped ZnO (PCZ) heterojunction: A UV-Driven photocatalyst for reduction of methylene blue and study of their structural, optical and electrical properties

Abstract

Abstract To address the significant issue of wastewater treatment, this research focused on synthesizing PANI@Ce-doped ZnO (PCZ) nanocomposites, a heterojunction with varying dopant concentrations. This heterojunction was prepared using an ultrasonic-assisted wet impregnation technique and underwent comprehensive analysis through several techniques, including XRD, UV-DRS, Photoluminescence, FE-SEM, EDAX, and Impedance Analyzer. The XRD study was done to analyse the crystalline nature of as synthesized nanocomposites, while FESEM with EDX confirm the nanoflower morphology and presence of each element respectively. The optical band gap energy (Eg) of the samples has been estimated using UV-DRS and is found in the visible region. The synergy between the organic and inorganic frameworks resulted in an additive effect on the photocatalyst’s degradation efficiency. In the photocatalytic degradation process, reactive oxygen species (ROSs), including O2, OH, and h+, played a crucial role in breaking down MB (Methylene Blue) using the PANI@Ce-doped ZnO nanocomposites. PCZ1 exhibited significantly elevated dye degradation efficiency (86.80%) in comparison to bare PANI (40.80%). This enhancement can be attributed to the improved transfer and separation of photogenerated charge carriers in prepared heterojunction.