Electrical, optical and photocatalytic properties of Ti-loaded ZnO/ZnO and Ti-loaded ZnO nanospheres

High-Efficiency Ag-Modified ZnO/g-C3N4 Photocatalyst with 1D-0D-2D Morphology for Methylene Blue Degradation

Photocatalysts with different molar ratios of Ag-modified ZnO to g-C3N4 were prepared through an electrostatic self-assembly method and characterized through techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The resulting Ag-ZnO/g-C3N4 photocatalysts exhibited a unique 1D-0D-2D morphology and Z-type heterojunction. Moreover, g-C3N4 nanosheets with large layer spacing were prepared using acid treatment and thermal stripping methods. The Z-type heterostructure and localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag nanowires enabled high-speed electron transfer between the materials, while retaining large amounts of active substances, and broadened the light response range. Because of these features, the response current of the materials improved, and their impedance and photoluminescence reduced. Among the synthesized photocatalysts, 0.05Ag-ZnO/g-C3N4 (molar ratio of g-C3N4/ZnO: 0.05) exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance under UV-visible light. It degraded 98% of methylene blue in just 30 min, outperforming both g-C3N4 (21% degradation in 30 min) and Ag-ZnO (84% degradation in 30 min). In addition, 0.05Ag-ZnO/g-C3N4 demonstrated high cycling stability.

Synergistic photocatalytic effect of α-Fe2O3-ZnO binary nanocatalyst toward methylene blue: An experimental design study

Due to the potential ecosystem protection and management applications, searching for highly optimized semiconductor-based solar energy photocatalysts is still a significant challenge. Coupled α-Fe2O3-ZnO nanoparticles were prepared in situ and characterized by various identification techniques such as XRD, SEM-EDX, TEM, DRS, and FT-IR. Its pHpzc was about 8.1. The band gap energies of ZnO, α-Fe2O3, and the coupled α-Fe2O3-ZnO system were 3.22, 2.08, and 2.09 eV, respectively. The boosted photocatalytic activity of the coupled catalysts was designed via the RSM approach, and the optimal RSM conditions were pH 5, 25 min irradiation time, and 0.3 g/L of the α-Fe2O3-ZnO containing 75 % ZnO. The center point conditions' run included 0.5 g/L of the coupled catalyst containing 50 % ZnO, pH 7, and 22.5 min illumination time. The study on scavenger agents showed the highest role of hydroxyl radicals in MB photodegradation by the proposed catalyst.

Photocatalytic degradation of reactive dyes using natural photo-smart pigment-A novel approach for waste water re-usability

The present study is aimed at an efficient photocatalytic degradation of industrially important reactive dyes using phycocyanin extract as a photocatalyst. The percentage of dye degradation was evidenced by a UV-visible spectrophotometer and FT-IR analysis. The degraded water was checked for its complete degradation by varying pH from 3 to 12. Furthermore, the degraded water was also analyzed for water quality parameters and was found to meet industrial wastewater standards. The calculated irrigation parameters like magnesium hazard ratio, soluble sodium percentage, and Kelly's ratio of degraded water were within the permissible limits, which enables its reusability in irrigation, aquaculture, as industrial coolants, and domestic applications. The calculated correlation matrix shows that the metal influences various macro-, micro-, and non-essential elements. These results suggest that the non-essential element lead can be effectively reduced by increasing all the other micronutrients and macronutrients under study except sodium metal.

An Active Bio-Based Food Packaging Material of ZnO@Plant Polyphenols/Cellulose/Polyvinyl Alcohol: DESIGN, Characterization and Application

Active packaging materials protect food from deterioration and extend its shelf life. In the quest to design intriguing packaging materials, biocomposite ZnO/plant polyphenols/cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol (ZnPCP) was prepared via simple hydrothermal and casting methods. The structure and morphology of the composite were fully analyzed using XRD, FTIR, SEM and XPS. The ZnO particles, plant polyphenols (PPL) and cellulose were found to be dispersed in PVA. All of these components share their unique functions with the composite's properties. This study shows that PPL in the composite not only improves the ZnO dispersivity in PVA as a crosslinker, but also enhances the water barrier of PVA. The ZnO, PPL and cellulose work together, enabling the biocomposite to perform as a good food packaging material with only a 1% dosage of the three components in PVA. The light shielding investigation showed that ZnPCP-10 can block almost 100% of both UV and visible light. The antibacterial activities were evaluated by Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), with 4.4 and 6.3 mm inhibition zones, respectively, being achieved by ZnPCP-10. The enhanced performance and easy degradation enables the biocomposite ZnPCP to be a prospect material in the packaging industry.