We report an efficient heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced visible light absorption, reduced bandgap energy and effective separation of light-induced electron-hole pairs via their synergistic migration across heterojunction, synthesized out of ZnO and single-walled carbon nanotubes (ZnO–SWCNT nanocomposite) through a straightforward one-pot–two-chemicals recrystallization approach followed by calcination. The formation of the heterojunction was substantiated via different standard techniques such as XRD, HR-TEM, HP-XPS, and TGA/DSC analyses. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared ZnO–SWCNT nanocomposite was evaluated by assessing the degradation of a serious water-pollutant organic dye, methylene blue (MB) under the exposure to the visible portion of the natural sunlight (the UV-portion of the sunlight was blocked via the use of a UV-cut-off filter). The as-synthesized photocatalyst acted as a robust agent for the photo-deterioration of targeted MB solution. Its photocatalytic efficiency was remarkably better than either of its constituents, i.e., pristine ZnO nanorods or pristine SWCNTs. The recyclability of the photocatalyst was also explored, and the results asserted that the samples could be reused for three cycles without being altered conspicuously in photocatalytic performance or morphology.

Coupling ZnO with single-walled carbon nanotubes leading to solar-light-driven proficient photocatalyst for the decomposition of an organic dye methylene blue

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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