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Comparative photocatalytic performance and therapeutic applications of zinc oxide (ZnO) and neodymium-doped zinc oxide (Nd–ZnO) nanocatalysts against Acid Yellow-3 dye: kinetic and thermodynamic study of the reaction and effect of various parameters

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Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized hydrothermally and doped with 4% Neodymium (Nd). The produced NPs were characterized using UV–Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. With the addition of 4% Nd, the bandgap reduced from 3.20 to 3.00 eV which confirmed successful doping with Nd which also evident from FTIR study. The XRD study showed hexagonal structure of the synthesized material, while SEM study confirmed that Nd-doped ZnO (Nd–ZnO) NPs are well dispersed as compare to ZnO. TGA study revealed that synthesized NPs were much stable to temperature and only 11.3% and 7.2% the total loss occurred during heating range (40–600 °C) in case of ZnO and Nd–ZnO NPs, respectively. The PL intensity of the visible peaks of ZnO reduced after doping with Nd. The degradation of Acid yellow-3 over both the catalysts followed first-order kinetics. The activation energy calculated for the photodegradation reaction was 43.8 and 33.7 kJ/mol using pure ZnO and Nd–ZnO NPs, respectively. About 91% and 80% dye was degraded at the time interval of 160 min using Nd–ZnO and ZnO NPs, respectively. High percent degradation of dye was found at low concentration (10 ppm) and at optimal dosage (0.035 g) of the catalyst. The rate of Acid yellow-3 dye degradation was found to increase with increase in temperature (up to 50 °C) and pH(8) of the medium. The recyclability study showed that both pure ZnO and Nd–ZnO NPs could be reused for the degradation of the given dye. With the addition of H2O2 up to 5 µL, the rate of reaction increased clearly indicating the effect of OH· generation during photocatalysis. When compared with Nd–ZnO NPs at low concentrations, ZnO NPs at higher concentrations were found to be less hazardous. Both the NPs showed best antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. The hemolytic study indicated that at low concentration, pure ZnO was non-hemolytic as compared to Nd–ZnO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, 24420, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Usman Khan, F. Akbar Jan, Rahat Ullah &  Wajidullah

  2. Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    Naimat Ullah

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Bacha Khan University Charsadda, Charsadda, 24420, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

    Salman

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  1. Usman Khan
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  2. F. Akbar Jan
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  3. Rahat Ullah
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UK carried out the entire experimental work, FAJ proposed and designed the study and reviewed the draft, RU and W performed data curation and prepared the draft, NU, performed characterization of the samples and S performed biological assays.

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Correspondence to F. Akbar Jan.

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The blood sample for hemolytic assay was collected from a healthy volunteer.

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Khan, U., Jan, F.A., Ullah, R. et al. Comparative photocatalytic performance and therapeutic applications of zinc oxide (ZnO) and neodymium-doped zinc oxide (Nd–ZnO) nanocatalysts against Acid Yellow-3 dye: kinetic and thermodynamic study of the reaction and effect of various parameters. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 2781–2800 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-021-07483-0

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