Palladium-doped–ZrO2–multiwalled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite: an advanced photocatalyst for water treatment

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2016-06, Vol.122 (6), Article 579
• Main Authors: Anku, William Wilson, Oppong, Samuel Osei-Bonsu, Shukla, Sudheesh Kumar, Agorku, Eric Selorm, Govender, Poomani Penny
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-016-0086-8

The photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants from water using palladium-doped–zirconium oxide–multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Pd–ZrO 2 –MWCNTs) nanocomposites is presented. A series of Pd doped–ZrO 2 –MWCNTs nanocomposites with varying percentage compositions of Pd were prepared by the homogenous co-precipitation method. The photocatalytic applicability of the materials was investigated by the degradation of acid blue 40 dye in water under simulated solar light. The optical, morphological and structural properties of the nanocomposites were evaluated using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transformer infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, BET surface area analysis and (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The Pd–ZrO 2 –MWCNTs nanocomposites showed enhanced photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of the acid blue 40 dye under visible light compared with bare ZrO 2 and ZrO 2 –MWCNTs alone. The remarkable photocatalytic activity of Pd–ZrO 2 –MWCNTs nanocomposites in the visible light makes it an ideal photocatalyst for the removal of organic pollutants in water. The 0.5 % Pd–ZrO 2 –MWCNT was the most efficient photocatalyst with 98 % degradation after 3 h with corresponding K a and band gap values of 16.8 × 10 −3  m −1 and 2.79 eV, respectively.