Increased photocatalytic activity of NiO and ZnO in photodegradation of a model drug aqueous solution: Effect of coupling, supporting, particles size and calcination temperature.
Mechanically ball-mill prepared clinoptilolite nanoparticles (NC) were used for increasing photocatalytic activity of NiO and ZnO as alone and binary systems. The semiconductors were supported onto the zeolite during calcination of Ni(II)-Zn(II)-exchanged NC at different calcinations temperatures. XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, X-ray mapping, DRS, TEM and BET techniques were used for characterization of the samples. The calcined catalysts at 400°C for 4h showed the best photocatalytic activity for metronidazole (MNZ) in aqueous solution. The mole ratio of ZnO/NiO affected the photodegradation efficiency because activity of the coupled catalysts depends to the both e/h production and electron scavenging processes. In the used system, NiO acted as e/h production source and ZnO as an electron sink. Red shifts in band gaps of the supported coupled semiconductors was observed whit respect to monocomponent one, confirming formation of nanoparticles of the semiconductors onto the zeolitic bed. The best activities were obtained for the NiO1.3-ZnO1.5/NC (NZ-NC) and NiO0.7-ZnO4.3/NC (NZ3-NC) catalysts at pH 3, 1.2gL-1of the catalysts and 1gL-1of MNZ.
Department of Chemistry, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 311-86145, Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran, Iran; Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran.
Hadis
H
Derikvandi
Department of Chemistry, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 311-86145, Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran, Iran; Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza, Iran; Razi Chemistry Research Center (RCRC), Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran. Electronic address: arnezamzadeh@iaush.ac.ir.
Alireza
A
Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh
D002384:Catalysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000737:chemistry; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009532:Nickel / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D010782:Photolysis; D012666:Semiconductors; D012996:Solutions; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water; D017641:Zeolites; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000633:toxicity*
D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D017641:Zeolites; D008795:Metronidazole; D009532:Nickel; C028007:nickel monoxide; D015034:Zinc Oxide
Calcination temperature; Clinoptilolite nanoparticles; Heterogeneous photodegradation; Metronidazole; NiO-ZnO semiconductors