Fabrication of binary metal doped CuO nanocatalyst and their application for the industrial effluents treatment

Herein, we fabricated the binary transition metal (Ce & Zn) doped CuO nanocatalyst via a single step facile co precipitation technique by using liquid ammonia as a pH regulator and precipitating agent. The structural, morphological, and compositional studies of the fabricated samples were completed via X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and EDX techniques, respectively. The impact of binary metal-doped CuO nanocatalyst on the optical band-gap was examined via the UV-Visible spectroscopic technique. The photocatalytic aptitude of the fabricated pristine and binary metal-doped CuO nanocatalyst was examined against the 5-ppm aqueous solution of MB dye. The obtained results revealed that the doped sample removes 81.64% MB dye, via adsorption (32.65%) and degradation (48.99%) processes, while in comparison the pristine CuO sample removes just 38.77%. The superior adsorption and degradation aptitude of the binary metal doped sample can be ascribed to its higher surface area and tuned band-gap, respectively. Moreover, the kinetic study of the degradation process also displayed that the doped sample degrades the MB dye with a higher value of the rate constant (0.0137 min(-1)) than that of pristine CuO photocatalyst (0.0049 min(-1)). The tuned band-gap and nanoarchitecture morphology of the doped CuO not only facilitate the excitation process but also assist in the transportation of the photo-induced species towards the surface of the photocatalyst. The observed superior photocatalytic activity of the binary metal-doped CuO photocatalyst showed its exceptional aptitude for the treatment of toxic industrial effluents.

Automated summary

In this study, binary transition metal (Ce and Zn) doped CuO nanocatalyst was successfully fabricated through a facile co-precipitation technique. The doped sample exhibited significantly higher removal efficiency for MB dye compared to the pristine CuO sample, attributed to its higher surface area and tuned band-gap. The superior adsorption and degradation aptitude of the doped sample were also supported by a higher rate constant in the degradation process.