Facile green synthesis of nickel oxide nanoparticles using Citrus medica leaf derivatives, characterization and study of dye degradation activity

The nanosized Nickel Oxide is competitive in the solar treatment of textile industry effluent, which is a significant cause of global water pollution. The Nickel Oxide was meticulously prepared to utilize a green synthesis methodology, thereby demonstrating remarkable photon absorption characteristics spanning the substantial solar spectrum, encompassing visible light regions. Subsequent investigations have revealed that the optical band gap of the material under scrutiny is measured to be 3.1 eV. Additionally, the structural analysis of Nickel Oxide nanoparticles has indicated that the average crystallite size is 12.1 nm. Morphological analysis reveals that rod-like Nickel Oxide nanoparticles were grown with a uniform particle distribution. Photoluminescence (PL) examination reveals the consequences of structural defects and oxygen-based deficiencies, which help to extend the life span of charge carriers’ recombination. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) - surface chemical state examinations confirmed various oxygen-coordinated molecular species accommodation. The dye degradation percentages of methylene orange and methylene violet organic dyes were observed to be 98 % and 94 %, respectively. These results were obtained by utilizing a bio nano-rod catalyst with a dose of 0.2 g/l during a 60-minute duration under solar light irradiation. According to the observations, it was demonstrated that the photodegradation of Methyl Orange dye solution by Nickel Oxide nanoparticles synthesized under a beneficial pathway using an ecological, benign process under favourable circumstances was successful. Comparatively, the Nickel Oxide was favourable to eliminating the Methyl Orange (MO) dye compositions utilizing the renewable light source under ecological and beneficial pathways.