Improving photocatalytic activity of the ZnS QDs via lanthanide doping and photosensitizing with GO and g-C3N4 for degradation of an azo dye and bisphenol-A under visible light irradiation

Ali Reza Amani-Ghadim; Samira Arefi-Oskoui; Robab Mahmoudi; Abdolreza Tarighati Sareshkeh; Alireza Khataee; Fatemeh Khodam; Mir Saeed Seyed Dorraji

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133917

Improving photocatalytic activity of the ZnS QDs via lanthanide doping and photosensitizing with GO and g-C₃N₄ for degradation of an azo dye and bisphenol-A under visible light irradiation

Chemosphere. 2022 May:295:133917. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133917. Epub 2022 Feb 11.

Authors

Ali Reza Amani-Ghadim¹, Samira Arefi-Oskoui², Robab Mahmoudi³, Abdolreza Tarighati Sareshkeh⁴, Alireza Khataee⁵, Fatemeh Khodam⁶, Mir Saeed Seyed Dorraji⁴

Affiliations

¹ Applied Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, P.O. Box 83714-161, Tabriz, Iran; New Technologies in the Environment Research Center, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, P.O. Box 83714-161, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: amani.gh@azaruniv.ac.ir.
² Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471, Tabriz, Iran.
³ Applied Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Science, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, P.O. Box 83714-161, Tabriz, Iran.
⁴ Applied Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran.
⁵ Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, 51666-16471, Tabriz, Iran; Рeoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho-Maklaya Street, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation.
⁶ Research Laboratory of Environmental Protection Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Iran.

PMID: 35157881
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133917

Abstract

In this research, insertion of Gd ions (2 wt%) into the crystalline lattice of the ZnS QDs enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the QDs. In addition, the influence of graphene oxide (GO) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was assessed on the photocatalytic activity of the ZnS QDs through degradation of acid red 14 (AR14) and bisphenol-A (BA) under visible light. Higher photocatalytic degradation efficiency (97.1% for AR14 and 67.4% for BA within 180 min) and higher total organic carbon (TOC) removal (67.1% for AR14 and 59.2% for BA within 5 h) was achieved in the presence of ZnS QDs/g-C₃N₄ compared with ZnS QDs/GO nanocomposite. Finally, the Gd-doped ZnS QDs were hybridized with g-C₃N₄ as optimal support to fabricate a potent visible-light-driven photocatalyst for the decomposition of organic contaminants. The maximum photocatalytic degradation of 99.1% and 80.5% were achieved for AR14 and BA, respectively, in the presence of Gd-doped ZnS QDs/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite. The photosensitization mechanism was suggested for the improved photocatalytic activity of the ZnS QDs/GO, ZnS QDs/g-C₃N₄, and Gd-doped ZnS QDs/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposites under visible light.

Keywords: Gd doping; Graphene oxide; Graphitic carbon nitride; Photocatalysis; Zinc sulfide quantum dots.

MeSH terms

Azo Compounds
Catalysis
Graphite
Lanthanoid Series Elements*
Light
Sulfides
Zinc Compounds

Substances

Azo Compounds
Lanthanoid Series Elements
Sulfides
Zinc Compounds
graphene oxide
Graphite
zinc sulfide