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Highly efficient photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of 4-nitrophenol by graphene decorated ZnO

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Abstract

In the present study we have synthesized a series of ZnO–graphene composites with different initial amounts of graphene oxide by hydrazine assisted hydrothermal method. The structure, morphology, thermal, optical and electrochemical properties were characterized by XRD, Raman, SEM, TEM, thermogravimetry, photoluminescence, UV–visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry measurements. The composites thus obtained were utilized as photocatalysts for degradation of aqueous organic pollutants under UV irradiation. We inferred that, photoperformance of the catalysts depends on the amount of graphene present in the composite. The composite with weight ratio of graphene oxide to zinc acetate as 1.4 % (ZG-3) has shown ~fivefold enhancement in the degradation rate (as compared to ZnO) of 4-nitrophenol. Further, the obtained results for the photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of 4-nitrophenol, rhodamine B, propranolol and 4-chlorophenol suggest the non-selectivity of ZnO–graphene photocatalyst. These composites have potential applications for wastewater treatment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors greatly acknowledge Dr. Suresh Gokhale, National Chemical Laboratory, India for Raman spectroscopic analysis; and Prof. Santosh K. Haram and Ganesh Markad, Savitribai Phule Pune University (S.P.P.U.), India for electrochemical characterization. D.K. is thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India for Junior Research Fellowship [CSIR Grant No. 09/137(0548)/2013-EMR-I]. P.T. would like to acknowledge Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences, Mumbai, India [Grant code: GOI-A 667] and Department of Science and Technology New Delhi, India [Grant code: GOI-A 661] for financial support. Infrastructural and instrumentation facilities at Department of Physics, S.P.P.U are gratefully acknowledged.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India

    Dipali Kale & Pragati Thakur

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  1. Dipali Kale
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  2. Pragati Thakur
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Correspondence to Pragati Thakur.

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Kale, D., Thakur, P. Highly efficient photocatalytic degradation and mineralization of 4-nitrophenol by graphene decorated ZnO. J Porous Mater 22, 797–806 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-015-9953-5

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