Zero-valent Iron Loaded Activated Carbon Nanocomposites for Photocatalytic Degradation of Potassium Dichromate
Fe-NPs and Fe-AC nanocomposite were synthesised using tulsi leaf extract. The phytochemicals present in the leaf extract help in the formation of nanoparticles and nanocomposites. The present method is simple and free from the use of any organic reagents. The synthesised nanoparticles were well characterised using TEM, HR-TEM, SAED pattern, UV-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR and EDX analysis. The XRD and EDX analyses confirmed the formation of nanocomposites. The synthesised Fe-NPs and Fe-AC composites have been used for the degradation of potassium dichromate under solar irradiation. A total of ~95% and ~70% of potassium dichromate was completely degraded using Fe-AC and Fe-NPs as a photo catalyst. Fe-AC nanocomposites were found to show better catalytic activity than Fe-NPs.
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