Thin film coating of hydrothermally grown ternary nanocomposites for photocatalytic degradation of environmental pollutants

Abstract

Environment and pollution have become almost inseparable due to the contamination of each and every sector as a consequence of industrialization. Wastewater treatment using radicals are the best source of oxidizing agents. Since, semiconductor nanomaterials are excellent photocatalysts which produce radicals upon light irradiation. The photocatalyst prepared as nanopowders were investigated by coating them as thin films on glass slide by a spin coating technique as they are better candidates for photocatalytic degradation of persistent organic pollutants (POP). Hydrothermally grown ternary nanocomposite containing ZnO/CeO₂/rGO was named as binary metal oxide/rGO (BMON) was found to be in a particle size of less than 100 nm. The XRD and FT-IR analysis proved the crystallinity and M-O stretching in the prepared nanocomposite. The glass slides coated with the BMON (BMON-GS) were studied for their photocatalytic efficiency on the degradation of Orange G dye under solar light irradiation. The prepared was also studied for its reusability and was found to maintain its activity even up to 5 cycles. Hence, it would be a better candidate and highly economical alternative for treatment of industrial wastewater