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Photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye under solar light irradiation using ZnO and ZnO–TiO2 nanoparticles

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Abstract

The fast growth of human civilization with rapid industrialization causes severe detrimental effects, as a result, freshwater sources are depleting day by day threatening the future of human civilization to the water crisis. It is essential to preserve water by eliminating pollutants and conserving it. Dyes are one of such toxic pollutants which have been used in numerous industries like plastics, textiles, cosmetics, paper and pulp, leather, and food industries. The effectiveness of the photocatalytic removal of the dye malachite green was examined in the current study employing two distinct additives as photocatalysts: ZnO and ZnO–TiO2 nanoparticles. Nanosized ZnO and ZnO–TiO2 were prepared by utilizing microwave-assisted combustion and co-precipitation methods, respectively. The obtained metal oxide nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FESEM, TGA, FTIR, and BET. The photocatalytic effects of the synthesized metal oxides were estimated in an aqueous solution by degrading malachite green (MG) dye. The dye solution with each metal oxide was subjected to irradiation under sunlight as well as UV light and monitored up to the stage of complete decolorization. The results indicated that ZnO–TiO2 exhibits the highest photocatalytic performance in comparison to ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles in the presence of sunlight. Further, the effects of dose and pH variation were examined. The highest efficiency of the degradation of dye was found to be 92% at pH 5.8 under sunlight radiation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, School of Applied Sciences, KIIT deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar 24, Odisha, India

    Nibedita Nayak, Shuvendu Singha, Jyoti Prakash Maity, Pragyan Parimita Rath & Tapas Ranjan Sahoo

  2. Nanophotonics Research Laboratory, Department of Physics & Nanotechnology, SRM Institute of Science & Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai, 603203, India

    Trilochan Sahoo

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  1. Nibedita Nayak
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  2. Shuvendu Singha
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Nayak, N., Singha, S., Maity, J.P. et al. Photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye under solar light irradiation using ZnO and ZnO–TiO2 nanoparticles. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 35, 310 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-024-12066-w

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