A Comparative Study of Sol–Gel Synthesized ZnO/GO and ZnO/g-C3N4 Nanocomposites in the Photocatalytic Degradation of Acetaminophen

The large surface area for pollutant adsorption and low charge recombination exhibited by carbon-based nanocomposites enhances the performance efficiency of photocatalysts. Herein, the performance of ZnO/GO and ZnO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites in the photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen under UV irr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Judith Chebwogen, Francis W. Nyongesa, Julius M. Mwabora, Gershom M. Ntshani, Patrick G. Ndungu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:International Journal of Photoenergy
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/ijph/9216858
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The large surface area for pollutant adsorption and low charge recombination exhibited by carbon-based nanocomposites enhances the performance efficiency of photocatalysts. Herein, the performance of ZnO/GO and ZnO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites in the photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen under UV irradiation was compared. The nanocomposites were synthesized by a facile sol–gel method. The structural, morphological, and optical properties were studied using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, BET, UV-Vis, and PL characterization techniques. An increase in surface area was observed with the introduction of GO and g-C3N4. The ZnO/g-C3N4 nanocomposites possessed a greater surface area and photocatalytic efficiency than the ZnO/GO nanocomposites. The degradation efficiencies obtained were 84.6% and 61.2% for the best ZnO/g-C3N4 and ZnO/GO nanocomposites, respectively, in 1 μg/mL acetaminophen degradation at pH 7, hence their great potential for environmental remediation applications.
ISSN:1687-529X