Sonochemical Synthesis of Pd Nanoparticle/ZnO Flower Photocatalyst Used for Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange Degradation under UV Radiation

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, heterostructure Pd/ZnO nanocomposites with different weight contents of the loaded Pd have been successfully synthesized by sonochemical-deposition method and used as a photocatalyst for methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) degradation. The products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-visible spectrophotometry, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The products have been composed of face-centered-cubic metallic Pd0 nanoparticles with size of 40–90 nm supported on the surface of hexagonal ZnO microstructure flowers. UV-visible absorption of the heterostructure Pd/ZnO nanocomposites has been improved by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect at the Pd/ZnO interface. Photocatalytic activity of the heterostructure 5% Pd/ZnO nanocomposites has been used to degrade methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) is the highest because the loaded Pd nanoparticles play the role in capturing the photo-excited electrons and the charge separation is strengthened. The heterostructure 5% Pd/ZnO nanocomposites are very stable within five-cycle test and (Formula presented.) is an active radical used for the photocatalytic process.