Role of g-C3N4 as a 2-D composite partner in enhancing the photocatalytic waste water detoxifying ability of green routed cerium doped zinc oxide

• Published in: Journal of molecular structure 2025-03, Vol.1325, Article 141013
• Main Authors: Sudha, A., Anuradha, N., Baneto, M., Ravichandran, K., Varshini, M., Ayyanar, M., Raj, M. Sam Arul, Manimehan, I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2-D material; Biomedical application; Dye detoxification; g-C3N4; Morinda citrifolia; Photocatalysis
• ISSN: 0022-2860
• DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2024.141013

•Near complete dye detoxification (Cationic and anionic dyes) by the synthesized nanocomposite.•The nanocomposite decomposes both cationic and anionic dyes.•Effective bio-medical applications by the synthesized nanocomposite. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) - a 2D carbonaceous material - is coupled as the composite partner with green synthesized cerium doped zinc oxide to form (ZnO:Ce) green /g-C3N4 nanocomposite. The (ZnO)green and (ZnO:Ce) green nanomaterials were synthesized via a green route using the extract of Morinda citrifolia plant leaves. The photocatalytic dye detoxification test conducted on organic dyes showed that the (ZnO)green and (ZnO:Ce)green exhibited an efficiency of only 90 and 93 %, respectively against the dye malachite green (MG) for irradiation time of 30 min. However, the coupling of g-C3N4 as composite partner with (ZnO:Ce) green remarkably improved the detoxification efficiency to 99 % for MG. A similar trend was observed for another test dye rose bengal (RB) too. The heterojunction Z-scheme mechanism that governs the photocatalytic activity of the partners (ZnO:Ce)green and -g-C3N4 of the nanocomposite is demonstrated with the support of other analytical studies such as XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR and UV is absorption. The (ZnO:Ce)green/g-C3N4 nanocomposite exhibited significant antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging assay), antidiabetic (α-glucosidase enzyme inhibitory assay), and anti-inflammatory (protein denaturation assay) activities with the inhibition percentage of 87, 92 and 90 %, respectively. Thus, this green routed nanocomposite (ZnO:Ce)green/g-C3N4 can be used as an eco-friendly heterojunction photocatalyst for cost-effective dye waste removal and a potential bio-medical agent. [Display omitted]