Abstract & References Vol 26 No 3 (2022)

Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 26 No 3 (2022): 520 - 531

CONSTRUCTING NI-DOPED ZnO/GO HETEROSTUCTURES FOR ENHANCED SUNLIGHT-TRIGGERED DEGRADATION OF METHYLENE BLUE DYE

(Pembinaan Heterostruktur Ni-Didop dengan ZnO/GO untuk Meningkatkan Degradasi Pewarna Metilina Biru di Bawah Sinar Matahari)

Hartini Ahmad Rafaie^1,5*, Nur Shafiza Ismail¹, Syazni Hanun Nur Ili Dedy Dasiano^2,4, Muhd Firdaus Kasim³, Nurul Infaza Talalah Ramli¹, Zul Adlan Mohd Hir¹, Mohomad Hafiz Mamat⁴

¹Faculty of Applied Science,

Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang, 26400 Bandar Tun Abdul Razak Jengka, Pahang, Malaysia

²Faculty of Applied Sciences

³Center for Nanomaterials Research, Institute of Science

⁴NANO-Electronic Centre, Faculty of Electrical Engineering

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

⁵Centre of Foundation Studies,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor Branch, Dengkil Campus, 43800 Dengkil, Selangor, Malaysia

*Corresponding author: hartinirafaie@uitm.edu.my

Received: 15 November 2021 ; Accepted: 3 February 2022 ; Published: 27 June 2022

Abstract

Chemical pollutants emitted by the textile industry are a major source of water contamination, resulting in dangerous diseases and most of the effluent treatment techniques are relatively ineffective. As a result, metal oxide-based photocatalysts emerged as a viable alternative to the already existing dye treatment methods. The current work focused on the synthesis and characterization of Ni-doped ZnO/GO heterostructures and evaluation of its photoactivity under sunlight irradiation. The nanocomposite was prepared via a simple mixing approach, by varying the weight ratio of graphene oxide (GO) ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 g prior to the incorporation into Ni-doped ZnO surfaces. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that Ni and GO were successfully incorporated into the wurtzite-structure of ZnO nanocomposites. FESEM images showed a uniformed particle with the average size of about 100-500 nm for all samples. The photocatalytic activity was assessed by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under direct sunlight irradiation. Ni-doped ZnO/GO_0.1nanocomposite exhibited the greatest degradation performance by degrading 94% MB. The highest degradation rate constant of 0.0250 min^-1 was obtained within 120 minutes of reaction time. The current study is easy, effective, and compatible; hence it can be employed in the future to treat textile dye wastewater.

Keywords: graphene oxide, methylene blue, nickel, photodegradation, sunlight

Abstrak

Bahan pencemar kimia yang dikeluarkan oleh industri tekstil merupakan sumber utama pencemaran air, mengakibatkan penyakit berbahaya dan kebanyakan kaedah rawatan sisa bahan buangan yang dicipta masih tidak berkesan sepenuhnya. Justeru, fotomangkin berasaskan logam oksida dihasilkan sebagai alternatif yang berdaya maju bagi kaedah rawatan pewarna sedia ada. Penumpuan kepada sintesis dan pencirian yang mudah bagi heterostruktur ZnO/GO yang didopkan dengan Ni dan penilaian fotoaktivitinya di bawah cahaya matahari. Nanokomposit disediakan melalui kaedah campuran yang ringkas dengan mengubah nisbah berat grafin oksida (GO) diantara 0.1 hingga 0.4 g sebelum dimasukkan ke dalam permukaan ZnO berdop Ni. Analisis pembelauan sinar-X mendedahkan bahawa Ni dan GO telah berjaya dimasukkan ke dalam struktur ZnO. Imej FESEM menunjukkan partikel seragam dengan saiz purata diantara 100-500 nm untuk semua sampel. Aktiviti fotokatalitik dinilai dengan memantau degradasi pewarna metilina biru (MB) di bawah penyinaran cahaya matahari secara lansung. Nanokomposit ZnO/GO_0.1berdop Ni mempamerkan prestasi degradasi yang paling tinggi dengan nilai peratus degradasi 94% MB. Pemalar kadar degradasi tertinggi ialah 0.0250 min^-1 diperolehi dalam masa 120 minit masa tindak balas. Kajian ini didapati mudah, berkesan dan sesuai, justeru ia boleh digunakan pada masa hadapan untuk merawat sisa buangan pewarna dari industri tekstil.

Kata kunci: grafin oksida, metilina biru, nikel, fotodegradasi, cahaya matahari

Graphical Abstract

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