Neodymium Doped ZrO2-graphene Oxide Nanocomposites: A Promising Photocatalyst For Photodegradation Of Eosin Y Dye

¹Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028, Johannesburg, South Africa

²Ecole Nationale Superieure des Ingénieurs en Arts Chimiques et Technologiques, INP-Toulouse, 4, allée Émile-Monso, BP 44362, 31030, Toulouse, France

³Vinoba Bhave Research Institute, Sirsa Road, Saidabad, Allahabad 221508, India

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2016, 7 (12), pp 946-950

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2016.6497

Publication Date (Web): Oct 12, 2016

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail:sudheeshkshukla@gmail.com, pennyg@uj.ac.za

Abstract

Purification of industrial wastewater from dyes receiving increasing attentions. The aim of the present manuscript was to fabricate graphene based nanocomposites using a homogeneous and facile approach. Co-precipitation method was used to synthesize zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) and neodymium doped ZrO₂-graphene oxide (Nd-ZrO₂-GO) nanocomposites with varying weight percent concentrations of neodymium to investigate the increasing photocatalytic activity. The Nd-ZrO₂-GO catalysts were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (SEM), and ultra violet-visible (UV-vis)-spectroscopy to evaluate their optical, morphological and structural properties respectively. The photocatalytic degradation potential of the nanocatalyst was assessed by the degradation of Eosin Y dye in aqueous solution under simulated solar light irradiation. The Nd-ZrO₂-GO was observed to have higher photocatalytic degradation potential than the bare ZrO₂. The most efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of Eosin Y dye was 0.3 % Nd-ZrO₂-GO with about 80 % efficiency within 180 min and a Ka value of 4.19 x 10^-3. Nd-ZrO₂-GO catalyst would be considered as efficient photocatalyst to degrade the industrial dyes (Eosin Y) avoiding the dreary filtration steps.

Keywords

Photocatalysis, polymer-metal nanocomposites, graphene oxide, eosin Y, dye degradation, photodegradation.