Photocatalytic Degradation Of Methylene Blue Research Articles

Thermal, structural and optical properties of magnetic BiFeO3 micron-particles synthesized by coprecipitation method: heterogeneous photocatalysis study under white LED irradiation

Bismuth ferrite, BiFeO3 (BFO) prepared via a coprecipitation method, was used as an effective photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) using a white light-emitting diode (LED-50 W) lamp. The as-prepared material was characterized by TGA, XRD, SEM-EDX, FTIR, and UV-vis-DRS techniques. The effects of experimental key parameters such as pH, catalyst dosage, initial dye concentration, and calcination temperature were investigated. Results showed that BFO-600 (calcined at 600 °C/3 h) was a rhombohedrally-distorted perovskite oxide with the R3c space group. The average crystal size and band gap energy for BFO-600 were found to be 24.8 nm and 2.1 eV, respectively. Under optimal operating conditions ([MB]=20 mg.L-1, BFO-600/dye mass ratio=0.5 g.L-1, pH=11, and 25 °C), MB/BFO-600/LED process exhibited an efficient photodegradation (up to 94.4%) within 120 min, much higher than the MB sorption process (MB/BFO-600/dark system, 69.4%) and the MB self-photolysis system (MB/LED, 33.9%). The photocatalytic degradation of MB was found to fit well with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Thus, the MB photodegradation was attributed to the generation of reactive radicals such as •OH, h+, H2O2, and MB•+ via direct heterogeneous photocatalysis and mediated by MB through a self-photosensitization process of MB over BFO-600 NPs.

Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using Polypyrrole-Coated Molybdenum-Based Magnetic Photocatalyst

In this study, Ppy@MoO3@Fe3O4 photocatalyst was used to degrade methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The optimum catalyst loading, initial MB dye concentration, and solution pH was found to be 500 ppm, 40 ppm, and pH 5, respectively, and resulted to 94.1% MB dye degradation within 90 min irradiation. The mineralization of MB obtained 93% TOC removal. Pseudo-first order kinetic model governed the degradation of MB having a rate constant of 0.027 min-1. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that h+ and O2 species played a critical role in the visible light photocatalytic degradation of MB. The Ppy@MoO3@Fe3O4 photocatalyst also showed better photocatalytic performance on MB dye degradation compared to MoO3@Fe3O4 and controls. Finally, the Ppy@MoO3@Fe3O4 photocatalyst exhibited consistently high performance even after 4 cycles, proving that the as-prepared nanomaterial can be considered as a promising photocatalyst with good photocatalytic activity, stability, and reusability.

Bio-Construction of CuO Nanoparticles Using Texas Sage Plant Extract for catalytical degradation of Methylene blue Via Photocatalysis

The theme of this research is to highlight the importance of green synthesis for nanomaterials preparation. In citing this statement, herein, we reported bio-synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles by Leucophyllum frutescens leaf extract-mediated reaction along with the study of morphological, optical, structural features and their photocatalytic dye degradation activity of synthesized nanoparticles. The formation of bio-mediated CuO nanoparticles was confirmed by the XRD having crystalline size of 27 nm and monoclinic structure, FTIR presenting absorption band at 673 cm−1. The phase purity was revealed from XRD as there is no extra peak for impurities. The CuO represents the absorption of UV radiations at 380 nm upon UV-DRS studies and band gap energy of 1.48 eV. The morphological studies wereperformed by the FESEM and TEM, both characterized that CuO nanoparticles are spherical in shape. The particle size calculated by particle distribution through FESEM and SEM micrographs was ∼ 25 nm which is in accordance with the crystalline size calculated by XRD. The formation of CuO nanoparticles and phase purity was further validated by the EDX analysis. The metallic existence, phase purity and valency of synthesized nanoparticles confirmed by the XPS. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was studied by CuO under irradiation of visible light. The synthesized CuO degraded the cationic dye in 120 min with the degradation efficiency of 88%. Thus, the proposed work suggests the synthesis of metal oxides nanoparticles via green synthesis is very cost effective and ecofriendly process. The green synthesized CuO nanoparticles are efficient photocatalysts for detection and remediation of organic environmental pollutants in water bodies, presenting their potential towards development of wastewater applications.

Maghemite nanoparticles decorated semiconducting graphitic carbon nitride hetero-structured nanocomposite: Facile synthesis, characterizations and its visible light active photocatalytic system for removal of hazardous organic pollutants from aqueous solutions

Hetero-structured nanocomposite consisting of graphitic carbon nitride host, decorated by γ-phase iron oxide, maghemite (γ-Fe2O3@G-CN) was synthesized in different mass contents of γ-Fe2O3 (5%, 10% and 20%) in the composite, by the method of nanosecond pulsed laser fragmentation, and defect engineering in liquid for the removal of hazardous organic pollutants from aqueous solutions. The elemental, structural, and morphological characterizations of the synthesized nanocomposites by XPS, XRD, TEM, and HR-TEM exhibited the proper anchoring of γ-Fe2O3 on the graphitic carbon nitride polymeric network. Also, the diffuse reflectance spectra, and the room temperature photoluminescence spectra respectively revealed that the presence of γ-Fe2O3 in graphitic carbon nitride brought about the enhanced and extended visible light absorption, and reduced recombination of photo induced electron hole pairs, the characteristics desired in a good photo-catalyst. Moreover, this composite material exhibited the z-scheme photo catalytic mechanism, where the more energetic electrons and holes in the composite band structure mediate the redox reaction in the photo-catalysis. The photo-catalytic efficiency of γ-Fe2O3@G-CN nanocomposite was evaluated in the photo-catalytic degradation of methyl blue (MB), and rhodamine-B (Rh-B) cationic dyes under visible light irradiations. For both the degradation processes, all the variants of γ-Fe2O3@G-CN nanocomposite consistently showed the enhanced photocatalytic efficiency with respect to pure GCN, with the maximum efficiency recorded for 10% γ-Fe2O3 in γ-Fe2O3@G-CN nanocomposite.

Fabrication of novel SnWO4/ZnO using Muntingia calabura L. leaf extract with enhanced photocatalytic methylene blue degradation under visible light irradiation

In this study, SnWO 4 /ZnO heterostructure has been successfully constructed using Muntingia calabura L. leaf extract (MCE). We conducted phytochemical tests to qualitatively detect the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, and tannins, which play an essential role in the formation of SnWO 4 /ZnO. The photocatalytic activities of pristine SnWO 4 , pristine ZnO, and SnWO 4 /ZnO heterostructure were evaluated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. To investigate the photocatalytic activity of SnWO 4 /ZnO heterostructure in the visible region, the adsorption effect of SnWO 4 /ZnO was also studied. SnWO 4 /ZnO heterostructure shows the highest degradation percentage of 82.86% within 120 min compared to pristine SnWO 4 and ZnO, which exhibit the degradation percentage of 69.48 and 40.41%, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic of MB degradation is attributed to the formation of SnWO 4 /ZnO heterostructure as a result of the decreased optical bandgap from 3.06 to 2.68 eV due to the low recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. SnWO 4 /ZnO shows a remarkable photocatalyst for dyes degradation with remarkable stability after four consecutive cycles. Importantly, this work demonstrates a simple eco-friendly, and low-cost green synthesis method to produce SnWO 4 /ZnO with excellent photocatalytic activity and stability for dyes degradation under visible light irradiation. • Novel SnWO 4 /ZnO was successfully constructed using Muntingia calabura L. leaf extract. • Formation of heterostructure decreased optical bandgap of ZnO from 3.06 to 2.68 eV. • ZnO photocatalyst works under visible light irradiation after modification with SnWO 4 . • SnWO 4 /ZnO showed the highest photodegradation activity compared to SnWO 4 and ZnO.

Controlling the Structural Properties and Optical Bandgap of PbO–Al2O3 Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photodegradation of Methylene Blue

In the present work, PbO-x wt% Al2O3 nanocomposites (where x = 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 100 wt%) were prepared by a microwave irradiation method. Their structural parameters, morphology, and chemical bonds, were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was noticed that the produced phases have an orthorhombic crystal structure and the smaller average crystallite sizes were formed when the ratio of Al2O3 is 40 wt%. The FTIR analysis reveals the formation of various bonds between Al or Pb and O. The TEM analysis reveals that the PbO-x%Al2O3 composites (x = 20, 40, and 60), composed of dense particles, and their size are smaller compared to the pure Al2O3 sample. The optical bandgap obeys the direct allowed transition and decreases from 4.83 eV to 4.35 eV as the PbO ratio in the composites increases from 0 to 100%. The intensity of the photoluminescence emission, at the same wavelength, increases as the PbO ratio increases from 0% to 60% implying that increasing the PbO content increases the capacity of free carriers within the trap centers. The prepared composites are used as a catalyst to remove the methylene blue (MB) from the wasted water under UV-visible or visible light irradiations. The photocatalytic degradation of MB was investigated by applying various kinetic models. It was found that the PbO-30% Al2O3, and PbO-40% Al2O3 composites are the best ones amongst other compositions. Furthermore, the pseudo-second-order model is the best model for describing the deterioration mechanism among the models studied. The formed composites could be suitable for the degradation of organic dyes for water purification as well as applications that required a higher optical bandgap.

Green synthesis of novel lanthanum doped copper oxide nanoparticles for photocatalytic application: Correlation between experiment and COMSOL simulation

Treatment of waste water via photocatalysis is one of the most effective, economical and environment friendly process. In this study, green method (leaf extract of Citrus Medica Linn.) is used to synthesize pure and lanthanum (La)-(1,2 & 3 wt%) doped copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs). Different characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, EDS, UV/VIS, PL and FTIR are utilized to investigate their physical, chemical, optical and structural properties. The synthesized material is used as photocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Interestingly, the La doped CuO-NPs have exhibited unique results. Variation in dopant concentration reduces the particle size (40.82 ± 0.04 nm to 31.89 ± 0.02 nm) and band gap of material shifts towards visible region (3.03 eV–2.71 eV). During photocatalysis, doping reduces the electron-hole pair recombination rate which makes it a potential photocatalyst. Maximum degradation efficiency of 84% is observed in 150 min for 2% La doped CuO-NPs which reveals that 2% La doping is optimal. Further increase in dopant concentration increases band gap, therefore, degradation efficiency drops to 75%. Simulation of this work is carried out using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3a Licensed version. A 2D model is constructed and CuO-NPs is considered as photocatalyst in order to correlate simulated and experimental photocatalytic degradation of MB and rhodamine B (RhB) dye. Comparative analysis of rate constants revealed that the trend given by simulation is very close to the experimental observations.

Microwave-Assisted Green Synthesis of Pure and Mn-Doped ZnO Nanocomposites: In Vitro Antibacterial Assay and Photodegradation of Methylene Blue

This paper describes the eco-friendly microwave-assisted green synthesis of pure and manganese-doped zinc oxide nanocomposites using ethanolic solution of castor oil as a reductant and capping agent. Solutions of Zn2+ and Mn2+ ions were mixed in fixed ratios to obtain 0%, 1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7% pure and Mn-doped ZnO nanomaterials. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by powder XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and EDX analyses. Powder XRD furnished characteristic fragmentation patterns for the confirmation of the synthesized materials and was also used to estimate the size of the synthesized nanoparticles by Scherrer’s equation. Diffraction patterns were characteristic of wurtzite structure and of the size in the range of 6.5, 5.6, 5.2, 5.1, and 4.3 nm for pure and Mn-doped ZnO nanocomposites. UV-visible spectra displayed maximum absorbance at 340 nm, and manganese doping caused a red shift. FT-IR spectra confirmed that the formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles as Zn─O appeared at below 700 cm−1 as well as the presence of organic moieties of the castor oil acting as stabilizing agents. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) revealed all the synthesized materials were spherical in shape with some aggregation and polydispersity, and in the Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), specific peaks with characteristic patterns were seen for Zn, O, and Mn. A TEM micrograph displayed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of nanoparticles with average size less than 50 nm. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was checked in the presence of sunlight and in darkness. Interestingly, samples placed under the solar radiation exhibited significant results only with the catalyst; all the samples used without the catalyst showed negligible degradation effects, and even the samples placed in the dark containing catalysts also displayed a negative effect. A mechanism for this significant activity is also proposed. In vitro the antibacterial potential was studied against two pathogenic strains, i.e., Streptococcus aureus and Escherichia coli; interestingly activity kept on increasing with the increasing manganese content. Overall, all the samples presented comparable activity to ciprofloxacin.

Nano-sized FeVO4·1.1H2O and FeVO4 for peroxymonosulfate activation towards enhanced photocatalytic activity

Visible-light-assisted catalytic peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation is an effective advanced oxidation technique for removing organic pollutants from water. Here, nano-sized fervanite FeVO4∙1.1 H2O (FV-H) and FeVO4 (FV-A) with regulated structures are synthesized at different pH values or annealing temperatures for photocatalytic methylene blue (MB) degradation via PMS activation. The activation mechanisms induced by FV-H and FV-A photocatalysts are examined by radical quenching, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tracing methods, and (photo) electrochemical characterization. Our findings indicate that the multiple PMS activation pathways by photogenerated charge carriers from photocatalysts, as well as Fe(II)/Fe(III) and V(IV)/V(V) mixed-valence ion pairs led to the production of reactive holes (h+), hydroxyl (•OH) and sulfate radical (SO4•−) in FV-H (or FV-A)/PMS/Vis system for photodegradation, while SO4•− worked dominantly for MB degradation. The influences of PMS dosage, inorganic anions, pH value, and MB concentration on the degradation rates are also investigated. This work offers a new thought to the synthesis of high-efficiency photocatalysts for practical water treatment.

ZnO-based ternary nanocomposite for decolorization of methylene blue by photocatalytic dynamic membrane

In this article, novel Ag–ZnO/g-C3N4/GO ternary nanocomposites were prepared via co-precipitation method by 1%w Ag, 50% w g-C3N4, 10% w GO concentration and applied in dynamic membranes. The characteristics of Ag–ZnO/g-C3N4/GO nanocomposite were evaluated by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray map, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was investigated under visible light. The photocatalytic efficiency of 93.43% for methylene blue degradation was obtained for Ag–ZnO/g-C3N4/GO nanocomposite after 50 min of irradiation, which was remarkably higher than that of pure ZnO, bare g-C3N4, Ag–ZnO, and Ag–ZnO/g-C3N4 at the same irradiation time. Likewise, in self-forming and pre-coated membranes, ternary nanocomposites can play a vital role in the membrane surface properties, as well as their decolorization performance. The rejection of methylene blue was 30% in pure polyethersulfone membrane, while the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue in Ag–ZnO/g-C3N4/GO nanocomposites was 88.46% and 98.86% after 10 and 15 min of irradiation in both self-forming and pre-coated dynamic membranes, respectively. Experimental results show that the dynamic membrane possesses a higher ability for degradation of MB in a shorter period of time than the static system.

The impregnation of ZnO onto ZSM-5 derived from red mud for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) by zinc oxide/zeolite socony mobile-5 (ZnO/ZSM-5) composites was investigated. The ZSM-5 material was synthesized from red mud by a two-step hydrothermal method to which ZnO loadings at different mass ratios were subsequently performed. Characterizations using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were carried out to identify the formation of ZSM-5 and ZnO/ZSM-5. ZSM-5 and ZnO/ZSM-5 have cubic microcrystallite morphologies. ZnO loading in the ZnO/ZSM-5 composites was successfully performed and confirmed by the appearance of wurtzite peaks in the XRD spectra that matched the Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards data. The presence of ZnO in ZSM-5 leading resulted in a decrease in the surface area and pore size as confirming by nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm experiments. The band gap of the samples was measured using UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The optimum photocatalytic degradation of MB was observed at a ZnO loading of 34% w/w dubbed 34-ZnO/ZSM-5. The influence of the initial concentration of MB was also investigated at 80, 90, and 100 mg L− 1 using 34-ZnO/ZSM-5 and ZSM-5. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry characterization was performed to analyze the degradation products.

In-situ synthesis of metal oxide and polymer decorated activated carbon-based photocatalyst for organic pollutants degradation

The development of eco-friendly, outstanding, cost-effective, and efficient material for wastewater treatment remains a challenge towards the sustainable approach. Herein, we synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) and polypyrrole (PPy) fabricated activated carbon (AC) based trinary-nanocomposite (ZCP) for dye degradation application. The carbonization of biowaste and polymerization were achieved in acidic condition. The reaction mass pH was converted to a basic medium, as necessary for the in-situ formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles. This trinary-nanocomposite (ZCP) was used to degrade organic dyes such as methylene blue (MB). The influence of several factors such as pH, temperature study, electrolyte, photocatalyst dose, and contact duration on photodegradation were investigated. The ZCP composite was able to degrade 98.12% of MB dye solution within 20 min under visible light at room temperature. The degradation efficiency of ZCP was further increased (99.05%) at high temperatures. The above result indicates that the as-prepared ZCP nanocomposite is exhibiting excellent photocatalytic activity as compared to only low recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Compared to the control samples, ZCP has better dye degradation ability and a significant efficiency even after 10 consecutive cycles. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis confirmed the photocatalytic degradation of MB. This study mainly focused on the facile in-situ synthesis of ZCP nanocomposite for cost-effective mass production for various applications, including organic pollutants degradation.

Synthesis of Ag4Bi2O5 nanoparticles and evaluation of their photocatalytic activity

Photocatalytic degradation has been recognized as one of the excellent and most efficient ways to remove organic pollutants. The Ag4Bi2O5 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by precipitation technique to be employed as photocatalyst. Produced nanoparticles were explored through x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The XRD and FE-SEM results indicated a pure orthorhombic structure with spherical morphology. The EDS pattern and elemental map findings confirmed the purity of NPs and uniform distribution of Ag, O, and Bi elements. The Ag4Bi2O5 NPs exhibited a band gap of 2.92 eV according to DRS analysis. The visible-light photocatalytic performance of Ag4Bi2O5 NPs was assessed on methylene blue (MB) degradation. The MB degradation rate reached 87% under the optimal conditions. Moreover, high photocatalytic activity (about 90%) was observed after five cycles. Furthermore, the first-order kinetics can well describe the photocatalytic degradation of MB by Ag4Bi2O5 NPs.

Biogenic Nanosilica Synthesis Employing Agro-Waste Rice Straw and Its Application Study in Photocatalytic Degradation of Cationic Dye

The current study aims towards a holistic utilization of agro-waste rice straw (RS) to synthesize nanosilica (SiNPs) employing the sol–gel method. The effect of ashing temperature was evaluated for the synthesis process. X-ray diffraction demonstrated a broad spectrum at 21.22° for SiNPs obtained using RSA-600, signifying its amorphous nature, whereas crystalline SiNPs were synthesized using RSA-900. The EDX and FTIR spectra confirmed the significant peaks of Si and O for amorphous SiNPs, confirming their purity over crystalline SiNPs. FE-SEM and TEM micrographs indicated the spheroid morphology of the SiNPs with an average size of 27.47 nm (amorphous SiNPs) and 52.79 nm (crystalline SiNPs). Amorphous SiNPs possessed a high surface area of 226.11 m2/g over crystalline SiNPs (84.45 m2/g). The results obtained attest that the amorphous SiNPs possessed better attributes than crystalline SiNPs, omitting the need to incorporate high temperature. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using SiNPs reflected that 66.26% of the dye was degraded in the first 10 min. The degradation study showed first-order kinetics with a half-life of 6.79 min. The cost-effective and environmentally friendly process offers a sustainable route to meet the increasing demand for SiNPs in industrial sectors. The study proposes a sustainable solution to stubble burning, intending towards zero waste generation, bioeconomy, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 13(Climate Action), SDG 3(Good health and well-being), SDG 7(use of crop residues in industrial sectors) and SDG 8 (employment generation).

Synthesis of ZnO/Ti2C composites by electrostatic self-assembly for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Synthesis of ZnO/Ti2C composites by electrostatic self-assembly for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using ZnO supported on wood waste-derived activated carbon (ZnO/AC)

This study reports the preparation of ZnO supported on wood waste-derived activated carbon (ZnO/AC) and its activity towards photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB). The removal of MB is imperative owing to its toxic impacts on the receiving water bodies. Thus, finding treatment techniques with criteria of efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally benign is highly needed. ZnO/AC has been synthesized by the incipient wetness impregnation method and was characterized using XRD, FTIR, PL, and UV–Vis-NIR. Characterization analysis revealed the successful impregnation of ZnO onto the AC. The best photocatalytic degradation of MB using ZnO/AC was achieved at 180 min, adsorbent dosage of 3 g/L, and pH 8. Complete MB degradation was attained at lower initial MB concentrations (10 – 50 mg/L) and slightly decreased at higher initial MB concentration (100 mg/L). The experimental data fitted well with the pseudo-first-order Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model with a correlation coefficient (R2) greater than 0.995. The results revealed that the synthesized ZnO/AC exhibited remarkable photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of MB.

Facile synthesis of nanostructured ZnCuBi-NO3/SO4 layered double hydroxides for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Facile synthesis of nanostructured ZnCuBi-NO3/SO4 layered double hydroxides for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

Unveiling the charge transfer behavior within ZSM-5 and carbon nitride composites for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.

ZSM-5/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) composites were successfully prepared using a simple solvothermal method. By varying the amount of ZSM-5 and g-C3N4 in the composites, the charge carrier (electrons and holes) transfer within the materials, which contributes to the enhanced photocatalytic performance, was unraveled. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that more ZSM-5 component leads to a stronger interaction with g-C3N4. The photocatalytic performance test toward methylene blue (MB) degradation shows that more ZSM-5 in the composites is beneficial in enhancing photocatalytic activity. Meanwhile, the impedance electron spectroscopy (EIS) and photoluminescence (PL) analysis revealed that ZSM-5 facilitates the charge carrier transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes from g-C3N4 to the catalyst surface due to its lower charge transfer resistance. During the charge carrier migration, the interface between g-C3N4 and ZSM-5 particles may induce higher resistance for the charge carrier transfer, however after passing through the interface from g-C3N4 to ZSM-5 particles, the charge carrier can be efficiently transferred to the surface, hence suppressing the charge carrier recombination.

Comparative study on photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using pristine ZnO and Ni/ZnO composite films

Industrial dye wastewater is rich in organic molecules that are harmful to all types of living organisms. The present work investigates the potential of the incorporation of Ni nanoparticles into ZnO films in order to enhance the photocatalytic degradation performance. Pristine ZnO has been widely used as a photocatalyst in a photocatalytic degradation treatment of wastewater, however can only be activated by UV light. Incorporation of Ni into ZnO can broaden the light spectrum by using both visible light and UV for the reaction, therefore enhancing the degradation efficiency. The experimental runs were performed to evaluate the effect of incorporation of Ni nanoparticles into ZnO films and morphology of Ni nanoparticles (rod-cubic-like and chain-like shapes) on the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. In this study, methylene blue was used as a model wastewater. The results revealed that addition of Ni enhanced the degradation efficiency to 44% (rod-cubic-like) and 40% (chain-like), compared to that of pristine ZnO of 33%.

Crystal lattice engineering in a screw-dislocated ZnO nanocone photocatalyst by carbon doping

Solar light driven photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using carbon doped ZnO nanostructures.