Nanolayered Structures and Nanohybrids Based on a Ternary System Co/Ti/Zn for Production of Photo-Active Nanocomposites and Purification of Water Using Light

Abstract

Water pollution has emerged as a major challenge for the scientific community because of the rapid expansion of the population and the industrial sector in the world. The current study focuses on introducing a new track for designing new optical nanocomposites for purifying water in addition to providing a new additive for building new nanohybrids. These targets were achieved through building a ternary system of Co/Ti/Zn nanocomposites and nanolayered structures. The Co/Ti/Zn nanolayered structures were prepared and intercalated by different kinds of organic acids: monocarboxylic and dicarboxylic acids. Long chains of organic acids were used to construct series of organic–inorganic nanohybrids. X-ray diffraction, thermal analyses, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed the formation of nanolayered structures and nanohybrids. The optical properties of the nanolayered structure showed that the Co/Ti/Zn LDH became photo-active compared with the usual Al/Zn LDH because of the reduction in the band gap energy from 5.3 eV to 3.3 eV. After thermal treatment, a highly photo-active nanocomposite was produced through observing more reduction for the band gap energy to become 2.8 eV. In addition, the dye of Acid Green 1 completely decomposed and converted to water and carbon dioxide during 17 min of UV radiation by the dual Co/Ti-doped zinc oxide nanocomposite. In addition, the kinetic study confirmed that the high optical activity of the dual Co/Ti-doped zinc oxide nanocomposite accelerated the degradation of the green dyes. Finally, from these results it could be concluded that designing effective nanocomposite for purification of water was accomplished through converting 2D nanolayered structures to a 3D porous structure of Ni/Ti/Zn nanocomposites. In addition, a new additive was achieved for heterostructured hybrids through building new Co/Ti/Zn/organic nanohybrids.