Rapid immobilization of Ag/ZnO nanocomposite on Kanthal mesh for efficient removal of organic dye and heavy metal ions

Abstract

This study presents a novel, scalable photocatalytic system for water treatment, developed by rapidly immobilizing Ag/ZnO nanostructures onto a Kanthal mesh support. The Ag/ZnO/mesh nanocomposite was synthesized via a combined direct heating and photoreduction method, exhibiting high ZnO crystallinity and uniform Ag nanoparticle deposition (10.6 ± 2.3 nm). Remarkably, this immobilized photocatalyst achieved 92.4 % degradation of 2 ppm Rhodamine B (RhB) and maintained 90 % efficiency after five reuse cycles, demonstrating exceptional stability even at RhB concentrations up to 10 ppm. Furthermore, the composite exhibited approximately 80 % removal efficiency for Pb²⁺ ions, achieved through adsorption, and facilitated the photocatalytic reduction of Cu²⁺ ions. This superior performance is attributed to the synergistic effects of Ag coupling, enhancing light absorption and charge separation, and the high surface area of the Kanthal mesh. This work lays a foundation for scalable production of immobilized photocatalytic materials on supportive substrates, paving the way for their implementation in tertiary wastewater treatment.