ZEOLITE SUPPORTED CdS/ZnO/Ag3PO4NANO-COMPOSITE: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY FOR THE DEGRADATION OF METHYLENE BLUE

Abstract

The single, binary and ternary systems nano-materials were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The zeolite supported terray nanocompsotes were prepared by impregnation method using synthetic zeolite as the supporting material. The structures, compositions, surface functional groups and band gap energies of the composites were studied using X ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR, PL, AAS, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopic techniques. Photocatalytic degradation activities of the nano-composites under visible light irradiation were evaluated on aqueous solution of a model pollutant Methylene Blue dye solution as well as on a real sewage sample solution collected from Hawassa Textile Industry. Results suggested that the zeolite supported ternary nano-composite photocatalyst exhibited a relatively higher efficiency on the photodegradation of both Methyenel blue (MB) 92.57% and real sewage sample solutions 73.24%.. The improved photodegradation efficiency in the visible region of the supported nanocomposite is due to the sorption or ion exchange ability of the zeolite material. The reusability of this photocatalyst was tested and only an 18 % decrement was observed after four cyclic run.