title: Investigation of photocatalytic effect of SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method on the decolorization of two organic dyes.
abstract: Tin oxide nanoparticles about 4 nm in size were successfully synthesized using hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activity of the particles was determined by the decolorization of malachite green (MG) and titanium yellow (TY) under UV light. 12 ppm of MG and TY were used for the solution with an initial volume of 100 mL. The amounts of catalysts were 10, 30 and 50 mg. The effect of the catalyst loading on the reaction kinetic parameters and the decolorization rate constants (k) were determined. In order to reveal the photocatalytic efficiency of the nano particles, further experiments were conducted with bulk SnO(2). The oxygen species registered no observable effect on the reaction mechanism as nitrogen bubbling leads to no change in decolorization rates. Results showed that the synthesized nano tin oxide particles represent excellent photocatalytic activity for the decolorization of 12 ppm MG under UV light with 150 min of irradiation time. The energies of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) E(HOMO) of the dyes were also calculated by using the quantum chemical software in order to discuss the differences for the decolorization of two dyes. Electrical energy efficiency values for the decolorization of two dyes were also calculated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bekir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esen
authors.forename: Tuğrul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yumak
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sınağ
authors.forename: Tuğba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yıldız