Influence of rare-earth metal on the zinc oxide nanostructures: application in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and p-nitro phenol

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 360-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prakash K. Labhane ◽  
Gunvant H. Sonawane ◽  
Shirish H. Sonawane

Abstract Rare-earth cerium (Ce)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) spherical nanoparticles were synthesized by using the co-precipitation method. The doped materials were characterized by means of the X-ray diffraction, Williamson-Hall Plot, and field emission scanning electron microscopy analyses. The prepared nanoparticles exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure as observed from the XRD measurements. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data confirmed the purity of the prepared samples. The photocatalytic activity of the rare-earth Ce-doped ZnO spherical nanoparticles was investigated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and p-nitrophenol (PNP) solution under UV light radiation. Among the different amounts of dopant, 5 mole% Ce-doped ZnO nanoparticles showed the highest degradation with UV light radiation for both MB dye and PNP solution. The particle size, morphology, and separation of the photo-induced electron–hole pair are the main factors that influence photocatalytic activity. The probable mechanisms of photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of MB and PNP are also explained by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis.

Author(s):  
Thế Luân Nguyễn ◽  
Tiến Khoa Lê ◽  
Châu Ngọc Hoàng ◽  
Hữu Khánh Hưng Nguyễn ◽  
Thị Kiều Xuân Huỳnh

The Cu doped ZnO photocatalysts were prepared on ZnO substrate modified with copper nitrate by thermal shock method with different ratio % molar Cu : Zn = 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 in order to study the impacts of copper content on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO under both UV and Vis light irradiation. The crystal structure, morphology bulk and surface were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Their photocatalytic activities were studied via time-dependent degradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution. The results exhibit that crystal structure and morphology of Cu doped ZnO photocatalysts is not modified significally than ZnO original but surface charateristicschanged greatly. The photocatalyst was doped with copper content under 2% showed formation of Cu species. These samples perform photocatalytic activity higher than ZnO. The CuNZO-0.05-500 had the highest rate constants for methylene blue degradation (kUV = 6,901 h-1, kVIS = 0,224 h-1), which are about 2.2 times and 1.3 times higher than unmodified ZnO under UV light and Vis light, respectively. However, the CuNZO-5.0-500 which had the formation of CuO phase and unchangeable ZnO's surface has photocatalytic activity similar to pure ZnO.


2015 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Afifah ◽  
Nadia Febiana Djaja ◽  
Rosari Saleh

In this study, the photocatalytic activity of pure Fe- doped ZnO and Fe- doped ZnO/Montmorillonite nanocomposite has been investigated for the degradation of malachite green under UV light irradiation. Both photocatalysts were synthesized using co-precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared absorption, and electron spin resonance. The results showed that the photocatalytic efficiency is better in the presence of montmorillonite compared to pure Fe- doped ZnO. To detect the possible reactive species involved in degradation of organic dyes control experiments with introducing scavengers into the solution of organic dyes were carried out. It is found that electron plays an important role in the degradation of malachite green.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Vallejo ◽  
Alvaro Cantillo ◽  
Carlos Díaz-Uribe

This study synthesized and characterized Ag-doped ZnO thin films. Doped ZnO powders were synthesized using the sol-gel method, and thin films were fabricated using the doctor blade technique. The Ag content was determined by optical emission spectrometers with inductively coupled plasma (ICP plasma). Additionally, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), diffuse reflectance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were used for physicochemical characterization. Finally, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) was studied under visible irradiation in aqueous solution. The Langmuir-Hinshelwood model was used to determine the reaction rate constant of the photocatalytic degradation. The physicochemical characterization showed that the samples were polycrystalline, and the diffraction signals corresponded to the ZnO wurtzite crystalline phase. Raman spectroscopy verified the ZnO doping process. The AFM analysis showed that roughness and grain size were reduced after the doping process. Furthermore, the optical results indicated that the presence of Ag improved the ZnO optical properties in the visible range, and the Ag-doped ZnO thin films had the lowest band gap value (2.95 eV). Finally, the photocatalytic degradation results indicated that the doping process enhanced the photocatalytic activity under visible irradiation, and the Ag-doped ZnO thin films had the highest MB photodegradation value (45.1%), as compared to that of the ZnO thin films (2.7%).


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang-Yu Liao ◽  
H. Paul Wang ◽  
Hong-Ping Lin

TiO2nanotubes (TNTs) promoted by copper (5%) (Cu-TNT) and iron (5%) (Fe-TNT) were prepared for visible-light photocatalysis. By X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, it is found that the enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) on Cu-TNT and Fe-TNT is associated with the predominant surface photoactive sites A2((Ti=O)O4). By extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, the dispersed copper and iron also cause increases in the Ti–O and Ti–(O)–Ti bond distances by 0.01-0.02 and 0.04-0.05 Å, respectively. The decreased Ti–O bonding energy may lead to an increase of photoexcited electron transport. The copper- or-iron promoted TNT can thus enhance photocatalytic degradation of MB under the visible-light radiation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingjie Ma ◽  
Weijie Guo ◽  
Zhengpeng Yang ◽  
Shanxiu Huang ◽  
Guanyu Wang

TiO2/fine char (FC) photocatalyst was prepared via sol-gel method with tetrabutyl titanate as the precursor and FC as the carrier. The structural property of TiO2/FC photocatalyst was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the photocatalytic activity of TiO2/FC was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under UV light irradiation. The results showed that TiO2was successfully coated on the surface of FC, and the TiO2/FC photocatalyst had better photocatalytic efficiency and stability for degradation of RhB under UV light illumination as compared to that of the pure TiO2and FC. The study provided a novel way for the application of FC to the photocatalytic degradation of organic wastes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1123 ◽  
pp. 295-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Afifah ◽  
Siti Adriani ◽  
Nadia Febiana Djaja ◽  
Rosari Saleh

The present study compares the photocatalytic decolorization ability of Fe-doped ZnO modified both natural zeolite and montmorillonite towards aqueous solution of organic dyes such as methylene blue and methyl orange under UV light irradiation. Both photocatalysts were synthesized using co-precipitation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier-transform infrared absorption, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The results showed that the photocatalytic efficiency is better in the presence of montmorillonite compared to natural zeolite.


2015 ◽  
Vol 1123 ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqriah Kalim Susanto ◽  
Ardiansyah Taufik ◽  
Rosari Saleh

Nanocomposite Fe3O4-CuO-ZnO with different molar ratio of Fe3O4:CuO:ZnO were synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer. The characterization results manifested that the combination of Fe3O4, CuO and ZnO nanoparticles was successful. The photocatalytic activity of nanocomposite with the molar ratio of 1:1:5 was more effective in the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation than pure Fe3O4, CuO, ZnO. The role of photoactive species involved in the photocatalytic reaction was studied and found that holes play the most important role in photodegradation of methylene blue.


2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (38) ◽  
pp. 25172-25181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sini Kuriakose ◽  
Biswarup Satpati ◽  
Satyabrata Mohapatra

Cu doped ZnO nanostructures exhibit highly efficient sunlight driven photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange dyes.


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