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Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Biomimetic Synthesized Zinc Oxide Using Luffa Cylindrica as Biotemplate

  • PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY OF WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES
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Abstract

Solar photocatalytic degradation of dye using zinc oxide (ZnO) is a sustainable and efficient wastewater treatment method which could mineralize the dye to carbon dioxide and water without creating secondary waste or sludge. Sunlight is a natural source of light that extends over both ultraviolet and visible range which could irradiate ZnO to initiate the photocatalytic reaction for degradation of dye. The dried Luffa cylindrica (LC), the sponge gourd is suitable to be applied as a biotemplate in synthesis as it is fibrous and porous that will lead to high surface area of the synthesized material. In this study, a biomimetic zinc oxide was synthesized by using LC as biotemplate via simple hydrothermal synthesis method. Both synthesized ZnO samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to confirm their crystalline phase and morphology, respectively. Compared with the non-templated ZnO, the biotemplated ZnO possessed relatively high crystallinity with higher diffraction peaks that assigned to the hexagonal wurtzite structure. Significant difference could be observed between the morphology of the ZnO synthesized without biotemplate and the ZnO synthesized with LC. It was found that the Luffa-templated ZnO inherited the structure of LC which the spherical nanoparticles connected continuously to each other in a dendritic-like morphology, while relatively large micron-sized particles were obtained in the ZnO synthesized without biotemplate. Photocatalytic activity of the synthesized ZnO was evaluated by degradation of Reactive Green 19 (RG19) under natural solar light irradiation. Results showed that enhanced photocatalytic degradation of RG19 at 65.8% was achieved in Luffa-templated ZnO compared with that of the non-templated ZnO which was only 40.8%. This indicated that the Luffa-templated ZnO possessed improved physical properties which could enhance its photocatalytic activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, University Malaysia Perlis, 02600, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

    Li-Ngee Ho

  2. School of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Integrated Life Sciences, Quest International University, Perak, Malaysia

    Sin-Li Lee

  3. Water Research and Environmental Sustainability Growth, Faculty of Civil Engineering Technolog, University Malaysia Perlis, 02600, Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

    Soon-An Ong

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  2. Sin-Li Lee
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Li-Ngee Ho, Lee, SL. & Ong, SA. Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Biomimetic Synthesized Zinc Oxide Using Luffa Cylindrica as Biotemplate. J. Water Chem. Technol. 43, 373–378 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1063455X21050076

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