Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences, Vol 27 No 1 (2023): 54 - 62

HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS OF Co AND Pd DOPED TIN OXIDE NANORODS AND THEIR PHOTOCATALYTIC DEGRADATION OF POLYPROPYLENE

(Sintesis Hidroterma Nanorod Stanum Oksida Terdop Co dan Pd dan

Degradasi Fotokatalitik Polipropilena)

Vicinisvarri Inderan^1,*, Nur Aina Shahida Ahmad¹, Nurizyan Amirah Mohd Zaidi¹, Norain Isa¹,

Wan Zuraida Wan Kamis¹, Hooi Ling Lee², and Siva Raseetha³

¹Chemical Engineering Studies,

College of Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, Penang Branch,

13500 Permatang Pauh, Penang, Malaysia

²Nanomaterials Research Group,

School of Chemical Sciences,

Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia

³Faculty of Applied Sciences,

Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

^*Corresponding author: vicinisvarri@uitm.edu.my

Received: 6 October 2022; Accepted:17 Jan 2023; Published: 22 February 2023

Abstract

It has been reported that the wastewater treatment processes are unable to remove microplastics (MPs) from wastewater completely and often bypass the treatment plants into water resources. Hence, this study tested cobalt (Co) and palladium (Pd) doped tin oxide SnO₂ nanorods as photocatalysts to degrade the MPs. Co and Pd were selected as dopants due to their high oxidation catalytic characteristics. A dosage of 10 mol% dopants was used to prepare the doped SnO₂ nanorods. The SnO₂ was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal route at a relatively lower temperature, 180 °C. To study the photocatalytic performance of MPs, the reaction was executed on polypropylene (PP) for 72 hours under visible light irradiation. While, the effect of pH was tested at different pH conditions (5,7, and 9). The SnO₂ nanorods were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, and UV-Vis spectrometer. The broadening of XRD peaks in Pd and Co-doped SnO₂ nanorods signifies a decrease in crystalline size, which is supported by FESEM images with ~15 nm diameter. The performance of the photodegradation of PP is verified by using FTIR analysis. The strong vibration peaks of the carbonyl and hydroxyl bands confirmed that the polymer chain broke down via a photo-oxidation reaction. Cracks and cavities have been found on the surface of PP after the photocatalytic reaction. Overall, 10% Pd-doped and Co-doped SnO₂ have exhibited good performance after 72 hours of photocatalytic reaction at pH 9, and it has a high potential as a photocatalyst for the degradation of MPs.

Keywords: tin oxide, palladium doped, cobalt doped, microplastics, photodegradation

Abstrak

Laporan menunjukkan bahawa proses rawatan air sisa tidak dapat membuang mikroplastik (MP) sepenuhnya yang terkandung dalam air sisa malah sering memintas loji rawatan ke sumber air. Oleh yang demikian, dalam kajian ini kobalt (Co) dan paladium (Pd) terdop stanum oksida (SnO₂) telah diselidik sebagai fotokatalis untuk mendegradasi MP. Co dan Pd telah dipilih sebagai logam dopan disebabkan kedua-dua logam tersebut mempunyai ciri-ciri pemangkin oksida yang tinggi. Sukatan sebanyak 10 mol% dopan telah digunakan untuk menyediakan nanorod SnO₂ terdop. SnO₂ telah disintesis menggunakan laluan hidroterma yang mudah pada suhu yang agak rendah, 180 °C. Untuk mengkaji prestasi fotodegradasi MP, proses fotokatalisis telah dijalankan pada polipropilena (PP) selama 72 jam, di bawah penyinaran cahaya nampak. Manakala, kesan pH pada telah dikaji pada pH yang berlainan (5,7 dan 9). Nanorod SnO₂ yang terhasil telah dianalisis menggunakan pembelauan sinar-X (XRD), mikroskop elektron pengimbasan pancaran medan (FESEM), spektrometer Fourier inframerah transfomasi (FTIR) dan spektrometer UV-Vis. Pelebaran puncak XRD bagi sampel nanorod SnO₂ terdop menunjukkan penurunan dalam saiz kristal, yang disokong oleh imej FESEM dengan diameter ~ 15 nm. Prestasi fotodegradasi PP telah disahkan melalui analisis FTIR. Kehadiran puncak getaran kuat karbonil dan hidroksil mengesahkan rantai polimer terputus melalui tindak balas pengoksidaan foto. Keretakan dan rongga telah ditemui pada permukaan PP yang telah dirawat dengan fotokatalisis. Secara keseluruhan, SnO₂ terdop dengan 10 mol% Co and Pd telah menunjukkan prestasi yang baik selepas 72 jam tindak balas fotokatalitik pada pH 9 dan ia mempunyai potensi tinggi sebagai fotomangkin untuk degradasi mikroplastik.

Kata kunci: stanum oksida, dop palladium, dop kobalt, mikroplastik, penguraian foto.

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