The impressive photocatalytic performance of Zn-MOF as a novel photocatalyst for the effective purification of dyes under solar exposure

Abstract

The pollution induced by organic dyes is one of the paramount concerns worldwide. Therefore, it is critical to design an efficient preventative plan to address this issue. A novel photocatalyst Zn-MOF was successfully synthesized through the slow evaporation method for effective photocatalytic degradation upon solar light. The compound was characterized using varied characterization approaches, including XRD, TGA, SEM/EDS, XPS, FTIR, UV–vis, and EIS spectroscopy. Photocatalytic efficiencies were assessed by removing MV, RhB, and MB under solar exposure. Within 180 min, the findings revealed abatements of 94.3, 94.2, and 93 % for MV, RhB, and MB dyes, respectively. Additionally, Zn-MOF possesses outstanding reusability without losing activity for the first 5 cycles. Moreover, quenching experiments showed that •O2−, h+, and •OH recreated a pivotal role in the degradation process. An appropriate mechanism was proposed in light of previous Mott–Schottky and UV–vis spectroscopy findings. Altogether, this work illustrates that the Zn-MOF photocatalyst could be a promising prospect for environmental purification.