Photocatalyst for the degradation of methyl orange dye

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12491499-B2
Application number	US-202318185106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Mar 16, 2023
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A method of degrading a dye in an aqueous solution including contacting nanoparticles with the dye in the aqueous solution and irradiating the aqueous solution. The nanoparticles have a formula of Zn 1-2x Ce x Yb x O, x=0.01-0.1, and where at least 90 wt. % of the dye is degraded during the irradiating of the aqueous solution.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method of degrading a dye in an aqueous solution, comprising:
contacting nanoparticles with the dye in the aqueous solution; and irradiating the aqueous solution, wherein the nanoparticles have a formula of Zn 1-2x Ce x Yb x O, x=0.01-0.1, and wherein at least 90 wt. % of the dye is degraded during the irradiating.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average crystallite size of less than 40 nm.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have an average crystallite size of 51-53 nm.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a unit cell volume of 47.62-47.75 Å 3 .

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ZnO of the nanoparticles have a hexagonal crystal system, and wherein at least a portion of the Zn is replaced with Ce and Yb.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a nanorod shape.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nanorod shape has a length of 150-250 nm.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the nanorod shape has a width of 50-70 nm.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a zeta potential of 10-20 mV.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles have a bandgap of 3.21 to 3.25 eV.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles further comprise 0.1-1 wt. % Yb 0.3 Ce 0.4 O 1.85 , based on the total weight of the nanoparticles.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dye is selected from the group consisting of methylene orange, methylene blue, methyl red, phenolphthalein, bromothymol blue, and congo red.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the irradiating comprises light with a wavelength of 300-700 nm.

14 . A method of claim 1 , wherein the degrading of the dye has a rate constant of at least 0.02 min −1 .

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein 0.1 to 10 mg/mL of the nanoparticles are present in the aqueous solution.

16 . A method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution has a temperature of 50 to 70° C.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises at least one ionic species selected from the group consisting of ions of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halides, carbonates, phosphates, and sulfates.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are made by a method comprising:
mixing separately three solutions of a zinc salt, an ytterbium salt, and a cerium salt each in water; mixing together the three solutions at a temperature of 70-90° C. for 30-120 mins to form a reaction mixture; adjusting the pH of the reaction mixture to 7 with a base to form a second reaction mixture; evaporating the water from the second reaction mixture to form a gel; combusting the gel to form a powder; and calcining the powder at a temperature of 400 to 600° C.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the irradiating is for less than 120 minutes.

Assignees

• Univ Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal

Inventors

• Hannachi Essia
• Slimani Yassine
• Nawaz Muhammad
• Almessiere Munirah A
• Baykal Abdulhadi

Classifications

• B01J35/393

  Metal or metal oxide crystallite size · CPC title

• B01J35/39

  Photocatalytic properties · CPC title

• B01J35/33

  Electric or magnetic properties · CPC title

• B01J35/23

  in a colloidal state · CPC title

• B01J37/036

  to form a gel or a cogel · CPC title