Photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Black 5 and Malachite Green with ZnO and lanthanum doped nanoparticles

Abstract

Here we report the preparation of ZnO particles with different concentrations of La³+ doping (0, 0.5 and 1 wt%) via sol-gel method. The nanoparticles are synthesized directly from Zn(CH₃COO)₂.2H₂O in the presence of 1-propanol and triethylamine at 80°C. The conditions are optimized to obtain particles of uniform size, easy to isolate and purify. The nanoparticles are characterized by SEM, XRD and UV-Vis analysis. The photocatalytic properties of pure and La-doped ZnO are studied in the photobleaching of Malachite Green (MG) and Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dyes in aqueous solutions upon UV illumination. It is observed that the rate constant increases with the La loading up to 1 wt%. The doping helps to achieve complete mineralization of MG within a short irradiation time. 1 wt% La-doped ZnO nanoparticles show highest photocatalytic activity. The La³⁺ doped ZnO particles degrade faster RB5 than MG. The reason is weaker N=N bond in comparison with the C-C bond between the central carbon atom and N,N-dimethylaminobenzyl in MG. The as-prepared ZnO particles can find practical application in photocatalytic purification of textile wastewaters.