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Solar light-driven CeVO4/ZnO nanoheterojunction for the mineralization of Reactive Orange 4

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Abstract

In this study, we synthesized CeVO4/ZnO nanoheterojunction photocatalyst through hydrothermal-precipitation method. The prepared photocatalyst was characterized by Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) with elemental color mapping (ECM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) with selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV-vis-DRS), BET, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The BET surface area of CeVO4/ZnO is 10.50 m2/g. The photocatalytic activity of CeVO4/ZnO nanoheterojunction under solar light was investigated for the degradation of Reactive Orange 4 (RO 4). CeVO4/ZnO has been found to be more effective for mineralization of RO 4 than the prepared ZnO at neutral pH. The addition of TBA (•OH scavenger) contributes a significant decrease in the photodegradation efficiently of the catalyst. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) measurements confirmed the complete mineralization of RO 4. In addition, it found that the photocatalyst was stable and reusable.

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Acknowledgments

I. Muthuvel thanks financial support from the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi, for providing research grant (No. UGC sanctioned letter F.No-43-222/2014(SR)).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Photocatalysis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, 608002, India

    Inbasekaran Muthuvel, Kaliyamoorthy Gowthami & Ganesamoorthy Thirunarayanan

  2. Photocatalysis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, M.R. Govt. Arts College, Mannargudi, Tamil Nadu, 614001, India

    Inbasekaran Muthuvel

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535, Coimbra, Portugal

    Balu Krishnakumar

  4. Nanomaterials Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu, 626126, India

    Meenakshisundaram Swaminathan

  5. Department of Chemistry, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India

    Ravichandran Siranjeevi

Authors
  1. Inbasekaran Muthuvel
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  2. Kaliyamoorthy Gowthami
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  3. Ganesamoorthy Thirunarayanan
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  4. Balu Krishnakumar
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  5. Meenakshisundaram Swaminathan
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  6. Ravichandran Siranjeevi
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Correspondence to Inbasekaran Muthuvel.

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Muthuvel, I., Gowthami, K., Thirunarayanan, G. et al. Solar light-driven CeVO4/ZnO nanoheterojunction for the mineralization of Reactive Orange 4. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 43262–43273 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10271-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10271-8

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