Preparation and activity evaluation of n-p CuO/CeO۲ZrO۲ heterojunction photocatalyst for degradation of organic azo dye in wastewater under visible light irradiation

In this work, the auto solution combustion method was used to prepare p-CuO/n-CeO۲ZrO۲ with different concentrations of p-CuO, which was found to be an effective photocatalyst for degrading azo dye under visible light irradiation. To investigate the photocatalytic activity of p-CuO/n-CeO۲ZrO۲, nonbiodegradable azo dyes such as acid orange ۷ (AO۷) were chosen as the modal target. The catalyst was characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), EDS, SEM, XPS, BET, and UV-vis DRS. Under visible light irradiation, AO۷ solution easily mineralized with existing p-CuO/n-CeO۲ZrO۲. Experiments were carried out to determine the adsorption potential of acid orange ۷ on p-CuO/n-CeO۲ZrO۲ at different pH values. Using some radical scavengers to evaluate intermediates, a potential degradation pathway for photocatalytic degradations has been proposed. Under similar visible light conditions, the photodegradation rate of this azo dye catalysed by p-CuO/n-CeO۲ZrO۲ is much faster than that of n-type CeO۲ZrO۲. The photocatalytic activity of the sample with a p-n CuO/ CeO۲-ZrO۲ molar ratio of ۰.۰۲۱ was ۳۵% higher than that of n-type CeO۲ZrO۲. The impact of pH on photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst was also studied. At a pH of ۳, acid orange ۷ showed the most degradation.

کلیدواژه ها:

p-n CuO/ CeO۲-ZrO۲ heterojunction ، Photocatalyst ، AO۷ ، nanoparticles