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The photo-electrochemical properties of nano-sized ZnO. Application for the oxidation of dyes under sunlight

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Abstract

To evaluate its photoactivity under solar light, ZnO with a nano morphology with crystallites sizes ranging from 2.5 to 5 µm was prepared by the acetate decomposition (ZnO-Nit) by one-step calcination. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The optical band gap of ZnO-Ac (3.23 eV) was determined from the diffuse reflectance and the transition is directly allowed, assigned to the charge transfer O2−: 2p → Zn2+: 4s. The capacitance-potential (C−2–E) characteristic plotted at pH ~ 7 shows n type behaviour with a conduction band (− 0.85 VSCE), made up of Zn2+: 4s orbital and positive of the O2/O2• level and a valence band (2.56 VSCE) deriving mostly from O2−: 2p orbital whose potential is less anodic than the •OH/H2O level. So, ZnO was successfully used for the degradation of two hazardous dyes namely the Reactive Blue 19 (RB 19) by the radicals •OH and O2•− under sunlight. Indeed, RB 19 is a vinyl sulphone dye, difficult to oxidize because its anthrax quinone stabilized by mesomery. The best performance is due to enhanced active surface area (59 m2 g−1). The RB 19 oxidation follows a zeroth order kinetic with a rate constant of 7.3 × 10–3 mol L−1 min−1 for a concentration 10 mg L−1. The RB 19 elimination was followed by chemical oxygen demand and a photodegradation mechanism was proposed to explain the high performance of the catalyst upon solar light. For a comparative purpose, the oxidation of Rhodamine B is also reported.

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Notes

  1. The isoelectric point (IP) was measures from the equilibrium pH of a solution containing an excess of ZnO powder.

  2. The density is calculated from the relation XRD = Z M/NV where the symbols have their usual significations.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr R. Bagtache for her assistance in the optical properties.

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  1. Laboratory of Storage and Valorization of Renewable Energies, Faculty of Chemistry USTHB, El Alia, BP 32, 16111, Algiers, Algeria

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Rekhila, G., Trari, M. The photo-electrochemical properties of nano-sized ZnO. Application for the oxidation of dyes under sunlight. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 133, 501–516 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-021-01985-y

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