title: Green chemistry approach for the synthesis of ZnO-carbon dots nanocomposites with good photocatalytic properties under visible light.
abstract: We report on a simple and one-pot synthetic method to produce ZnO/carbon quantum dots (ZnO/CQDs) nanocomposites. The morphological features and chemical composition of the nanocomposites were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The optical properties of the nanocomposites were examined using UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry. The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/CQDs was evaluated for the degradation of a model organic pollutant, rhodamine B, under visible light irradiation at room temperature. The highly efficient photodegradation capability of the nanocomposite was demonstrated by comparison with ZnO particles, prepared using identical experimental conditions. Overall, the present approach adheres to green chemistry principles and the nanocomposite holds promise for the development of remarkably efficient catalytic systems.
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences, Université Mouloud Mammeri, Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria; Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-conducteurs pour l'Energétique (CRTSE), 2, Bd. Frantz Fanon, B.P. 140 Alger-7 merveilles, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Hakima
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bozetine
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN, CNRS-8520), Université Lille1, Avenue Poincaré - B.P. 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barras
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China.
authors.forename: Musen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Technologie des Semi-conducteurs pour l'Energétique (CRTSE), 2, Bd. Frantz Fanon, B.P. 140 Alger-7 merveilles, Algiers, Algeria.
authors.forename: Toufik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hadjersi
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN, CNRS-8520), Université Lille1, Avenue Poincaré - B.P. 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szunerits
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Electronique, de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie (IEMN, CNRS-8520), Université Lille1, Avenue Poincaré - B.P. 60069, 59652 Villeneuve d'Ascq, France. Electronic address: rabah.boukherroub@iemn.univ-lille1.fr.
authors.forename: Rabah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boukherroub
keywords: Carbon quantum dots; Nanocomposite; Photocatalytic activity; Visible light; ZnO