Carbon-covered alumina-supported ZnO nanocatalysts with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance for the removal of dyes
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Date
2022
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Environmental Technology & Innovation
Abstract
In this study, environmentally sustainable catalysts were prepared economically as a positive step in directly using visible light to degrade wastewater polluted with industrial dyes. Hence, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocatalysts doped with carbon-covered alumina (CCA) were fabricated by the sol–gel technique using zinc acetate as the precursor and CCA as the support. Various methods were used to characterize the catalysts, including XRD, TEM, EDS-SEM UV/Vis-DRS, EIS, PL, and BET. The new CCA-supported catalysts are crystalline with high surface areas. The photocatalytic capability of the catalysts was studied using azo dyes as model pollutants. Hence, sunset yellow and tartrazine were degraded up to 99% by the catalysts, which were also recycled five times without loss in activity. Details on the kinetics and mechanistic mode of catalyst action are presented and analysed. Chemical oxygen demand measurements further confirmed the mineralization of the dyes. The study showed that the ZnO/CCA/Vis photocatalysis has good prospects of adoption for large-scale pre-treatment of dye-polluted wastewaters. This technique is suited to the food, textile and allied industries that employ substantial quantities of colourants.
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Folawewo, A. D. and Bala, M. D. (2022). Carbon-covered alumina-supported ZnO nanocatalysts with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance for the removal of dyes. Environmental Technology & Innovation.