Hemp shives conformally-coated by ALD ZnO for a sustainable application in wastewater remediation

IF 4.4 3区化学 Q2 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A-chemistry Pub Date : 2026-09-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-06 DOI:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2026.117153

Chiara Laferrera , Massimo Zimbone , Libera Vitiello , Vincenzina Strano , Gianfranco Sfuncia , Giuseppe Nicotra , Valentina Arena , Alessandra Alberti , Roberto Fiorenza , Sabrina Carola Carroccio , Giuliana Impellizzeri

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Abstract

A new hybrid nanocomposite for wastewater treatment was developed using hemp shiv fibers coated with ZnO nanolayers. Macro hemp shives were selected for their adsorption capacity and sustainability, while ZnO provided photocatalytic activity. Low-temperature atomic layer deposition (ALD) anchored ZnO nanolayers with controlled thicknesses (30, 70, 90 nm) onto hydroxyl groups on the hemp shives' surface. The effect of the ZnO thickness on adsorption and photocatalytic performance toward water organic pollutants was systematically investigated. Characterization included spectroscopic ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Methylene blue (MB) adsorption kinetics showed ZnO coatings partially shield the intrinsic adsorption aptitude of pure porous fibers' surface, with a shielding increasing with the ZnO thickness. Photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation was evaluated using three emerging water pollutants: MB dye, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and phenol. Hemp shives coated with a 30 nm-thick ZnO layer exhibited the highest degradation efficiencies for all the tested pollutants (about 70% after 4 h of light irradiation). Recycling tests confirmed material stability, with preserved ZnO coating and crystal structure after repeated use. Scavenger experiments indicated both radicals and photo-generated holes contribute to photocatalytic mechanism. The synergistic combination of adsorption and photocatalysis makes ZnO-coated hemp shives a promising and sustainable material for advanced wastewater treatment.

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ALD氧化锌包覆大麻片在废水修复中的可持续应用

采用麻叶纤维包覆ZnO纳米层，制备了一种用于污水处理的复合材料。选择宏观大麻片是为了考察其吸附能力和可持续性，而ZnO具有光催化活性。低温原子层沉积（ALD）将ZnO纳米层固定在麻片表面的羟基上，控制其厚度（30、70、90 nm）。系统地研究了ZnO厚度对水有机污染物吸附和光催化性能的影响。表征方法包括椭偏光谱、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、电子能量损失谱（EELS）和选择区域电子衍射（SAED）、x射线衍射（XRD）、热重分析（TGA）、N2吸附-解吸分析和傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）。亚甲基蓝（MB）吸附动力学表明，ZnO涂层部分屏蔽了纯多孔纤维表面的固有吸附能力，屏蔽作用随着ZnO厚度的增加而增加。采用三种新出现的水污染物：MB染料、十二烷基硫酸钠（SDS）和苯酚，对紫外辐射下的光催化活性进行了评价。包覆30 nm ZnO层的麻屑对所有污染物的降解效率最高（光照4 h后降解率约为70%）。回收试验证实了材料的稳定性，重复使用后氧化锌涂层和晶体结构保持不变。清道夫实验表明，自由基和光生空穴都参与了光催化机制。吸附和光催化的协同结合使zno包覆大麻片成为一种有前途的可持续的高级废水处理材料。

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来源期刊

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A-chemistry 化学-物理化学

CiteScore

7.90

自引率

7.00%

发文量

580

审稿时长

48 days

期刊介绍： JPPA publishes the results of fundamental studies on all aspects of chemical phenomena induced by interactions between light and molecules/matter of all kinds. All systems capable of being described at the molecular or integrated multimolecular level are appropriate for the journal. This includes all molecular chemical species as well as biomolecular, supramolecular, polymer and other macromolecular systems, as well as solid state photochemistry. In addition, the journal publishes studies of semiconductor and other photoactive organic and inorganic materials, photocatalysis (organic, inorganic, supramolecular and superconductor). The scope includes condensed and gas phase photochemistry, as well as synchrotron radiation chemistry. A broad range of processes and techniques in photochemistry are covered such as light induced energy, electron and proton transfer; nonlinear photochemical behavior; mechanistic investigation of photochemical reactions and identification of the products of photochemical reactions; quantum yield determinations and measurements of rate constants for primary and secondary photochemical processes; steady-state and time-resolved emission, ultrafast spectroscopic methods, single molecule spectroscopy, time resolved X-ray diffraction, luminescence microscopy, and scattering spectroscopy applied to photochemistry. Papers in emerging and applied areas such as luminescent sensors, electroluminescence, solar energy conversion, atmospheric photochemistry, environmental remediation, and related photocatalytic chemistry are also welcome.