CuO surface functionalized β-cyclodextrin grafted PMMA hybrid nanocomposite for advance oxidative mineralization of methyl orange

The present study emphasizes the synthesis of copper (II) oxide (CuO) surface grafted with β-cyclodextrin (β–CD) copolymerized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) through in situ free radical oxidative polymerization reaction. The synthesized material CDMA@CuO nanocomposite (NC) material was thoroughly characterized using a range of instrumental techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy with Selected Area Electron Diffraction (TEM-SAED), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential measurement, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. These analyses offered comprehensive insights into the composition, structure, optical, and surface properties of the synthesized material. The CDMA@CuO NC material was then assessed as a photocatalyst for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under sunlight exposure. Notably, the material demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic activity, achieving a 99.37 % photocatalytic efficiency with 20 mg L^–1 MO concentration at pH 4 under 90 min of UV light exposure. The trapping experiments confirmed the presence of hydroxyl radicals (^•OH) as the primary reactive oxidant species responsible for MO photodegradation. The synthesized material exhibited efficient reusability for up to six consecutive cycles while maintaining its high photodegradation efficiency. These results emphasize the potential of the CDMA@CuO NC as a highly efficient and recyclable photocatalyst for the removal of organic contaminants, such as methyl orange from aqueous solutions.