Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

In the current study, ultraviolet-active zinc oxide/maghemite (ZnO/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposite catalysts were prepared and applied to the photodecomposition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D is a herbicide that is widely used in agriculture and landscape turf management. The ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 na...

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Main Authors: Kian, Mun Lee, Abdullah, Abdul Halim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2015
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/1/Synthesis%20and%20characterization%20of%20zinc%20oxidemaghemite%20nanocomposite%20influence%20of%20heat%20treatment%20on%20photocatalytic%20degradation%20of%202%2C4-dichlorophenoxyacetic%20acid.pdf
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author Kian, Mun Lee
Abdullah, Abdul Halim
author_facet Kian, Mun Lee
Abdullah, Abdul Halim
author_sort Kian, Mun Lee
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In the current study, ultraviolet-active zinc oxide/maghemite (ZnO/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposite catalysts were prepared and applied to the photodecomposition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D is a herbicide that is widely used in agriculture and landscape turf management. The ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst was prepared using a simple and efficient precipitation–thermal decomposition method. Comprehensive experimental studies and characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-DRS) analyses were conducted to optimize the photoactivity of the nanoparticles. Interestingly, the synthesized ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst exhibited a hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure, and their active surface area decreased with increasing calcination temperature. Based on the TEM micrographs, the appearance of the ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst is nearly spherically shaped with a mean particle size in the range of 13–35 nm. The nano-ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 that underwent heat treatment at 450 °C exhibited better photodecomposition of 2,4-D, which was primarily due to the highest specific surface area and the smallest particle size among the synthesized samples.
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spelling upm-464612018-03-29T08:46:16Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/ Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid Kian, Mun Lee Abdullah, Abdul Halim In the current study, ultraviolet-active zinc oxide/maghemite (ZnO/γ-Fe2O3) nanocomposite catalysts were prepared and applied to the photodecomposition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). 2,4-D is a herbicide that is widely used in agriculture and landscape turf management. The ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst was prepared using a simple and efficient precipitation–thermal decomposition method. Comprehensive experimental studies and characterizations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-DRS) analyses were conducted to optimize the photoactivity of the nanoparticles. Interestingly, the synthesized ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst exhibited a hexagonal phase with wurtzite structure, and their active surface area decreased with increasing calcination temperature. Based on the TEM micrographs, the appearance of the ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 nanocomposite catalyst is nearly spherically shaped with a mean particle size in the range of 13–35 nm. The nano-ZnO/γ-Fe2O3 that underwent heat treatment at 450 °C exhibited better photodecomposition of 2,4-D, which was primarily due to the highest specific surface area and the smallest particle size among the synthesized samples. Elsevier 2015 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/1/Synthesis%20and%20characterization%20of%20zinc%20oxidemaghemite%20nanocomposite%20influence%20of%20heat%20treatment%20on%20photocatalytic%20degradation%20of%202%2C4-dichlorophenoxyacetic%20acid.pdf Kian, Mun Lee and Abdullah, Abdul Halim (2015) Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 30. pp. 298-306. ISSN 1369-8001; ESSN: 1873-4081 http://www.elsevier.com/locate/issn/13698001 10.1016/j.mssp.2014.10.017
spellingShingle Kian, Mun Lee
Abdullah, Abdul Halim
Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title_full Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title_fullStr Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title_full_unstemmed Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title_short Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
title_sort synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide/maghemite nanocomposite: influence of heat treatment on photocatalytic degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46461/1/Synthesis%20and%20characterization%20of%20zinc%20oxidemaghemite%20nanocomposite%20influence%20of%20heat%20treatment%20on%20photocatalytic%20degradation%20of%202%2C4-dichlorophenoxyacetic%20acid.pdf