Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with excellent electron capturing ability could be coupled with semiconductor photocatalyst to prevent the recombination problem of photogenerated hole–electron pairs encountered by pure zinc oxide (ZnO) while simultaneously promote the photocatalytic activity. In this s...

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Main Authors: Pang, Yean Ling, Tee, Su Fang, Lim, Steven, Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi, Ong, Hwai Chyuan, Wu, Chien Hou, Chong, Woon Chan, Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab, Mahmoudi, Ebrahim
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Published: Desalination Publications 2018
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author Pang, Yean Ling
Tee, Su Fang
Lim, Steven
Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi
Ong, Hwai Chyuan
Wu, Chien Hou
Chong, Woon Chan
Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab
Mahmoudi, Ebrahim
author_facet Pang, Yean Ling
Tee, Su Fang
Lim, Steven
Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi
Ong, Hwai Chyuan
Wu, Chien Hou
Chong, Woon Chan
Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab
Mahmoudi, Ebrahim
author_sort Pang, Yean Ling
collection UM
description Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with excellent electron capturing ability could be coupled with semiconductor photocatalyst to prevent the recombination problem of photogenerated hole–electron pairs encountered by pure zinc oxide (ZnO) while simultaneously promote the photocatalytic activity. In this study, rGO decorated with ZnO (ZnO/rGO) photocatalyst was synthesized for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B, congo red and methyl orange in water. The ZnO and ZnO/rGO photocatalysts were characterized by using field emission scanning microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic analyses. The morphology and elemental results showed that both catalysts were in spherical shape and free from impurities. It was found that the average particle size of ZnO/rGO was smaller than that of pure ZnO which indicated that ZnO decorated on graphene sheet would decrease the particle size. Congo red showed the highest degradation efficiency and it was attributed to the rapid break down of its azo bond (–N=N–) and aromatic rings by hydroxyl radicals. It was found that 97.96% degradation could be achieved in 1 h under optimum conditions which were at 10 mg/L of initial congo red concentration, 2 g/L of ZnO/rGO catalyst dosage and a solution pH of 7. The spent ZnO/rGO exhibited high catalytic activity of 96.67% at optimum conditions indicating its high stability to act as a photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of congo red satisfactorily fitted a pseudo-first-order reaction kinetic. Besides, the removal of chemical oxygen demand for congo red after 1 h of photocatalytic degradation was nearly 100%.
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spelling um.eprints-210402019-04-19T03:21:32Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/21040/ Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) Pang, Yean Ling Tee, Su Fang Lim, Steven Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi Ong, Hwai Chyuan Wu, Chien Hou Chong, Woon Chan Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab Mahmoudi, Ebrahim TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery TP Chemical technology Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with excellent electron capturing ability could be coupled with semiconductor photocatalyst to prevent the recombination problem of photogenerated hole–electron pairs encountered by pure zinc oxide (ZnO) while simultaneously promote the photocatalytic activity. In this study, rGO decorated with ZnO (ZnO/rGO) photocatalyst was synthesized for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B, congo red and methyl orange in water. The ZnO and ZnO/rGO photocatalysts were characterized by using field emission scanning microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray powder diffraction, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopic analyses. The morphology and elemental results showed that both catalysts were in spherical shape and free from impurities. It was found that the average particle size of ZnO/rGO was smaller than that of pure ZnO which indicated that ZnO decorated on graphene sheet would decrease the particle size. Congo red showed the highest degradation efficiency and it was attributed to the rapid break down of its azo bond (–N=N–) and aromatic rings by hydroxyl radicals. It was found that 97.96% degradation could be achieved in 1 h under optimum conditions which were at 10 mg/L of initial congo red concentration, 2 g/L of ZnO/rGO catalyst dosage and a solution pH of 7. The spent ZnO/rGO exhibited high catalytic activity of 96.67% at optimum conditions indicating its high stability to act as a photocatalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of congo red satisfactorily fitted a pseudo-first-order reaction kinetic. Besides, the removal of chemical oxygen demand for congo red after 1 h of photocatalytic degradation was nearly 100%. Desalination Publications 2018 Article PeerReviewed Pang, Yean Ling and Tee, Su Fang and Lim, Steven and Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi and Ong, Hwai Chyuan and Wu, Chien Hou and Chong, Woon Chan and Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab and Mahmoudi, Ebrahim (2018) Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Desalination and Water Treatment, 108. pp. 311-321. ISSN 1944-3994, DOI https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2018.21947 <https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2018.21947>. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2018.21947 doi:10.5004/dwt.2018.21947
spellingShingle TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
TP Chemical technology
Pang, Yean Ling
Tee, Su Fang
Lim, Steven
Abdullah, Ahmad Zuhairi
Ong, Hwai Chyuan
Wu, Chien Hou
Chong, Woon Chan
Mohammadu, Abdul Wahab
Mahmoudi, Ebrahim
Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title_full Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title_fullStr Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title_full_unstemmed Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title_short Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using ZnO decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)
title_sort enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes using zno decorated on reduced graphene oxide rgo
topic TJ Mechanical engineering and machinery
TP Chemical technology
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