Graphene oxide decorated ZnWO4 architecture synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity evaluation

Graphene oxide decorated ZnWO4(GO-ZnWO4) nanocomposite was synthesized by hydrothermal route and characterized using X-rays diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive x-rays (EDX), UV-Vis and particle size analyzer. The GO-ZnWO4 composites were in pure crystalline phase with average particle size of 30 nm, spherical and uniformly distributed having band gap value of 3.13 eV. The photocatalytic activity (PCA) was monitored by degrading cetirizine hydrochloride (C-HCl) under UV irradiation. The process variables were optimized through response surface methodology (RSM) and at optimum conditions, up to 89% degradation of C-HCl was achieved and the RSM model (R-2 = 0.98) showed a satisfactory correlation between the experimental and predicted response for the degradation of C-HCl. The hydrothermal route employed was efficient to prepare GO-ZnWO4 nanocomposite and this class of catalysts might be active photocatalyst for the degradation of pharmaceutical agents in the industrial wastewater. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.