ZNO-Ag/PS and ZnO/PS Films for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

Hassan Khuder Naji (Science Department, College of Basic Education, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq)
Amjed Mirza Oda (Science Department, College of Basic Education, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq)
Wesam Abdulaljeleel (Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq)
Hussein Abdilkadhim (Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq)
Rawaa Hefdhi (Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, University of Babylon, Babylon 51002, Iraq)

Indonesian Journal of Chemistry
Vol 20, No 2 (2020)

Two films of ZnO-Ag/polystyrene (ZnO-Ag/PS) and ZnO/polystyrene (ZnO/PS) have been prepared to evaluate the photodegradation ability of stabilized catalysts. The efficiency of ZnO improved against recombination of electron-hole pair by modification of catalyst surface with Ag photodeposition to be more resistant towards photocorrosion. ZnO-Ag catalyst was characterized by SEM and EDS analysis to show high roughness of this catalyst and Ag deposited on the surface was 2% (molar ratio). ZnO-Ag/PS and ZnO/PS composites were made as films and were then analyzed by FTIR spectra that showed the interaction of ZnO and ZnO-Ag with polystyrene appeared in the range of 400–620 cm–1, XRD pattern indicated the presence of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO and ZnO/PS film has maximum absorbance at 376 nm in UV-VIS spectra. This value shifted to 380 nm because of the photodeposition. The photocatalytic reaction was depicted using methylene blue (MB) in the UV-irradiation action of stacked films in MB solution. The result showed that both ZnO-Ag/PS and ZnO/PS films gave efficiency to remove MB by 97% and 70%, respectively. The reusability test of the films showed that ZnO-Ag/PS was more resistant than ZnO/PS. The presence of Ag also increased the efficiency in photodegradation and resistance against photocorrosion.