MXene decorated ZnO-tetrapod for efficient degradation of Methyl Orange, Methylene Blue, and Rhodamine B dyes

For the first time, Methyl Orange (MO), Methylene Blue (MB), and Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes degradation using MXene decorated ZnO-tetrapod (MZT) has been reported. MXene was derived from MAX phase using HF etching and ZT was produced using flame transport synthesis (FTS) technique. MXene was decorated on ZT using blending and sonication of deionized water consisting of MXene and ZT. The MZT was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible spectroscopy, Tauc plot analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurement, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) to ensure the successful decoration. The dye degradation capability of the MZT was tested against three dyes: MO, MB, and RhB. Photodegradation tests under sunlight showed RhB had the highest efficiency (77.60 %), followed by MO (76.79 %) and MB (50.83 %), respectively. The kinetic rate constants confirmed RhB’s superior degradation. Furthermore, Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy revealed oxygen vacancies, enhancing photocatalytic performance. MZT maintained high efficiency, with less than 20 % loss after 4 cycles, demonstrating its potential for repeated use in wastewater treatment and environmental pollution mitigation. The results reveal the potential of MZT in photocatalytic degradation of harmful organic dyes, very promising solution for combating environmental pollution.