Nowadays, photocatalytic degradation and removal of organic water pollutants such as dyes have gained worldwide attention due to their potential toxicity. The Ag3PO4-ZnO@GO ternary composite was successfully synthesised via hydrothermal process. The as-prepared ternary composite was characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. The prepared ternary composite was used as a photocatalyst in the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). The ternary nanocomposite exhibited a maximum degradation efficiency of 86% after light irradiation for 110 min as compared to pure ZnO (36%) and Ag3PO4-ZnO binary composite (46%) due to its improved photocatalytic efficiency under visible light, proficient charge separation and innovative electronic characteristics.
MeenaPLPoswalKSurelaAK, et al.Facile synthesis of ZnO/CuO/Ag2O ternary metal oxide nanocomposite for effective photodegradation of organic water pollutants. Water Sci Technol2021; 84: 2615–2634.
2.
SundaramCMKalpanaSAhamedSR, et al.Studies on the catalytic activity of CuO/TiO2/ZnO ternary nanocomposites prepared via one step hydrothermal green approach. Mater Res Express2019; 6. https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab57d9.
3.
SankarSSharmaSKAnN, et al.Photocatalytic properties of Mn-doped NiO spherical nanoparticles synthesized from sol-gel method. Optik2016; 127: 10727–10734.
4.
UpadhyayGKPathakTKPurohitLP. Heterogeneous ternary metal oxide nanocomposites for improved advanced oxidation process under visible light. Cryst Res Technol2020; 55: 2000099.
5.
ShafiAAhmadNSultanaS. Ag2S-sensitized NiO–ZnO heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity and acetone sensing property. ACS Omega2019; 4: 12905–12918.
6.
MotaALNAlbuquerqueLFBeltrameLC, et al.Advanced oxidation processes and their application in the petroleum industry: a review. Braz J Pet Gas2009; 2: 1982–0593.
7.
NakataKFujishimaA. TiO2 photocatalysis: design and applications. Photobiol2012; 13: 169–189.
8.
MustafaGTahirHSultanM, et al.Synthesis and characterization of cupric oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and their application for the removal of dyes. Afr J Biotechnol2013; 12: 6650–6660.
9.
StankicSSumanSHaqueF, et al.Pure and multi metal oxide nanoparticles: synthesis, antibacterial and cytotoxic properties. J Nanobiotechnol2016; 14: 1–20.
10.
KickelbickG. Introduction to sol-gel nanocomposites. Sol-Gel Nanocomposites, Springer, New York, NY, 2014: 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1209-4 1.
11.
YoshimuraMByrappaK. Hydrothermal processing of materials: past, present and future. J Meter Sci2008; 43: 2085–2103.
12.
NaseemTDurraniT. The role of some important metal oxide nanoparticles for wastewater and antibacterial applications: a review. Environ Chem Ecotoxicol2021; 3: 59–75.
13.
GoktasSGoktasA. A comparative study on recent progress in efficient ZnO based nanocomposite and heterojunction photocatalysts: a review. J Alloy Comp2021; 863: 158734.
14.
GoktasAModanlıSTumbulA, et al.Facile synthesis and characterization of ZnO, ZnO: Co, and ZnO/ZnO: Co nano rod-like homojunction thin films: role of crystallite/grain size and microstrain in photocatalytic performance. J Alloys Comp2022; 893: 162334.
15.
AbebeBMurthyHZereffaEA. Multifunctional application of PVA-aided Zn–Fe–Mn coupled oxide nanocomposite. Nanoscale Res Lett2021; 16: 1–9.
16.
TianCZhangQWuA, et al.Cost-effective large-scale synthesis of ZnO photocatalyst with excellent performance for dye photodegradation. Chem Commun2012; 48: 2858–2860.
17.
NaciriYHsiniABouzianiA, et al.Photocatalytic oxidation of pollutants in gas-phase via Ag3PO4-based semiconductor photocatalysts: recent progress, new trends, and future perspectives. Crit Rev Environ Sci Technol2022; 52: 2339–2382.
18.
WangHZouLShanY, et al.Ternary GO/Ag3PO4/AgBr composite as an efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst. Mater Res Bull2018; 97: 189–194.
19.
StrankowskiMPiszczykŁKosmelaP, et al.Morphology and the physical and thermal properties of thermoplastic polyurethane reinforced with thermally reduced graphene oxide. Pol J Chem Technol2015; 17: 88–94.
20.
QianKXiaLJiangZ, et al.In situ chemical transformation synthesis of Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12/I–BiOCl 2D/2D heterojunction systems for water pollution treatment and hydrogen production. Catal Sci Technol2017; 7: 3863–3875.
21.
HafeezHYLakheraSKBellamkondaS, et al.Construction of ternary hybrid layered reduced graphene oxide supported g-C3N4-TiO2 nanocomposite and its photocatalytic hydrogen production activity. Int J Hydrog Energy2018; 43: 3892–3904.
22.
MukwevhoNFosso-KankeuEWaandersF, et al.Synthesis and properties of ZnO/Ag/Graphene oxide composites photocatalyst. In: 9th Int’l Conference on Advances in Science. 2017, pp.49–52.
23.
AnjaneyuluRBMohanBSNaiduGP, et al.Visible light enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue by ternary nanocomposite, MoO3/Fe2O3/rGO. J Asian Ceram Soc2018; 6: 183–195.
24.
MonshiAForoughiMMonshiM. Modified Scherrer equation to estimate more accurately nano-crystallite size using XRD. World J Nano Sci Eng2012; 2: 154–160.
25.
BerhanuSGebremariamHChufamoS. The g-C3N4@ CdO/ZnO ternary composite: photocatalysis, thermodynamics and acute toxicity studies. Heliyon2022; 8: e11612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11612.
26.
GoktasAAslanEArslanF, et al.Characterization of multifunctional solution-processed Sn1-xZnxS nanostructured thin films for photosensitivity and photocatalytic applications. Optic Mater2022; 133: 112984.
27.
HuanHJileHTangY, et al.Fabrication of ZnO@ Ag@ Ag3PO4 ternary heterojunction: superhydrophilic properties, antireflection and photocatalytic properties. Micromachines2020; 11: 309.
28.
AslanFArslanFTumbulA, et al.Synthesis and characterization of solution processed p-SnS and n-SnS2 thin films: effect of starting chemicals. Optic Mater2022; 127: 112270.
29.
NamDTaittHChoiKS, et al.Copper-based catalytic anodes to produce 2, 5-furandicarboxylic acid, a biomass-derived alternative to terephthalic acid. ACS Catal2018; 8: 1197–1206.
30.
ZarbaliMGöktaşAKazanS, et al.Structure and magnetic properties of La 0.66 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 thin films derived using sol-gel technique. J Supercond2012;25: 2767–2770.
31.
TumbulA, et al.Highly stable ethanol-based Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) low-cost thin film absorber: effect of solution aging. Mater Chem Phys2021; 258: 123997.
32.
HouJZhouJLiuY, et al.Constructing Ag2O nanoparticle modified TiO2 nanotube arrays for enhanced photocatalytic performances. J Alloys Compds2020; 849: 156493.
33.
CaoFWangTJiX, et al.Enhanced visible photocatalytic activity of tree-like ZnO/CuO nanostructure on Cu foam. Appl Surf Sci2019; 471: 417–424.
34.
PotleVDShirsathSRBhanvaseBA, et al.Sonochemical preparation of ternary rGO-ZnO-TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst for efficient degradation of crystal violet dye. Optik2020; 208: 164555.
35.
ShendeTPBhanvaseBARathodA, et al.Sonochemical synthesis of graphene-Ce-TiO2 and graphene-Fe-TiO2 ternary hybrid photocatalyst nanocomposite and its application in degradation of crystal violet dye. Ultra Sonochem2018; 41: 582–589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.10.024
36.
YasmeenSMunawarTAsgharM, et al.Synthesis and photocatalytic study of Zn0. 90Co0. 10O and Zn0. 90Co0. 05M0. 05O (M = Ca, Ba, Cr, Pb) nanocrystals: structural, optical and electrical investigations. J Mater Res Technol2020; 9: 4076–4096.
37.
HezamANamrathaKDrmoshQA, et al.Direct Z-scheme Cs 2 O–Bi 2 O 3–ZnO heterostructures for photocatalytic overall water splitting. J Materchem A2018; 6: 21379–21388.
38.
ZhuPHuMDuanM, et al.High visible light response Z-scheme Ag3PO4/g-C3N4/ZnO composite photocatalyst for efficient degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride: preparation, properties and mechanism. J Alloys Compd2020; 840: 155714.
