This paper describes the development of ZnO semiconductors applied as photocatalysts for the degradation of water contaminants, with the shape of ceramic pellets thick enough to maintain their structures, prepared by slip casting and sintering. The samples presented porosities around 40% and densities around 3.4 g/cm 3 , which represented about 61% of the theoretical density of ZnO. After obtaining the ceramic samples, the degradation of Rhodamine B dye by photocatalysis was evaluated in six cycles of degradation. After the cycles, changes in the surface of the samples were verified, possibly due to leaching during photocatalysis since they presented mean grain sizes of 0.61 μm before and 0.36 μm after the photocatalysis. The ceramic ZnO samples were able to satisfactorily degrade Rhodamine B for several cycles, resulting in successful reuse of photocatalysts and increased facility of removing the photocatalysts from the medium after degradation compared to powders in suspensions.
With industrial and technological advances, it has been increasingly possible to raise the production capacity of essential items for various activities, in addition to promoting comfort and safety for people. However, human actions cause society to face several environmental problems, which are increasingly the target of global concern in all areas, especially in the scientific community. Among these problems is the high and constant worldwide use of dyes, mostly associated with the textile industry, since the demand for clean water is high, 1,2 mainly in the dyeing stage,
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