Synthesis of Ag DopedNiO/ZrO2 Core Shell Nanoparticles and Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Under UV-Visible Irradiations

Abstract

A good approach for the photo degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV- Visible irradiation is the use of Ag doped nickel oxide –zirconium oxide core shell nanoparticles as a photocatalyst that showed the high photocatalytic activity, highly magnetic separability and cost-effective results. The nanoparticles of Ag doped nickel oxide-zirconium oxide (Ag, NiO/ZrO2, x=1%, 3%) were prepared by using hydrothermal synthesis route. The structural and morphological properties of synthesized nanoparticles studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), UV- visible spectroscopy, and Photoluminescence (PL). The structural morphology showed that prepared samples are uniform.The structural properties confirmed to be in good agreement for both XRD, and SEM results and confirmed the cubical nature of the prepared spinel. Furthermore, the increase in size of the nanoparticles with increase in Sliver (Ag) contents, confirmed from the diffraction peaks and SEM analysis. The size of crystallites ranged in 29.13nm evaluated by using Debye-Sharer‘s formula from more intense diffraction peak. The compositionof the prepared specimen confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).Photocatalysis carried out to check the photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles having different concentrations of , for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible light. The photocatalytic activity checked, resulted 8%, 27%, 41% and 80% for Sliver doped nickel- zirconium oxide respectively, for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible irradiation in 0 ,30 ,60, 90 and 120mins, it is concluded that the photocatalytic activity increased by increasing reaction time and the concentration of Sliver , and this can be increased up to 80 %. The prepared core shell nanoparticles attested to be cost effective, ecofriendly, reusable after recycling, high magnetic x separability after use, and high photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under UV-Visible irradiation.