A Comprehensive Chemistry Experiment for Undergraduates to Investigate the Photodegradation of Organic Dyes by ZnO/GO Nanocomposite

The dangers of organic dye pollutants and environmental pollution improvement through photocatalytic degradation are important courses in applied chemistry programs in universities. Zinc oxide (ZnO)-based nanomaterials are potent catalytic agents against organic dyes, but few experiments are availab...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical education 2023-09, Vol.100 (9), p.3556-3563
Main Authors: He, Yongwu, Chen, Mo, Wang, Jing, Zhao, Gaomei, Han, Songling, Xu, Yang, Chen, Yin, Wang, Cheng, Wang, Junping
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Basic oxides
Benzoquinone
Butanol
Chemistry
Dyes
Fourier transforms
Graphene
Hydroxyl radicals
Infrared spectroscopy
Methylene blue
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanotechnology
Organic Chemistry
Photodegradation
Rhodamine
Students
Triethanolamine
Undergraduate Students
Universities
X-ray diffraction
Zinc oxide
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Summary:The dangers of organic dye pollutants and environmental pollution improvement through photocatalytic degradation are important courses in applied chemistry programs in universities. Zinc oxide (ZnO)-based nanomaterials are potent catalytic agents against organic dyes, but few experiments are available for students to understand their role and mechanism in class. Herein, we designed a comprehensive experiment across 24 class hours for undergraduates to investigate the photodegradation of colored organic dyes, including methylene blue, methyl orange, methyl violet, rhodamine B, basic fuchsin, and thymolphthalein, by a nanocomposite composed of ZnO-coated graphene oxide (ZnO/GO). This nanomaterial was prepared using a facile heating reflux method within 1 h. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction were introduced to students to characterize the synthesized products. Students could observe the time- and dose-dependent degradation as well as the reusability of ZnO/GO. Additionally, the addition of t-butanol, benzoquinone, and triethanolamine, scavengers of hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide anion (•O2–), and hole (h+), respectively, to the degradation system allowed them to master the underlying catalytic mechanism of ZnO/GO. This experiment improves students’ understanding of the photocatalytic effect of ZnO nanomaterials and stimulates them to engage in the field of applied chemistry and thus is worth recommending to undergraduates.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00172