Zeolite-supported g-C3N4/ZnO/CeO2 nanocomposite: Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity study for methylene blue dye degradation

A ternary system g-C3N4/ZnO/CeO2 and its novel zeolite-supported nanocomposite were prepared and characterized using XRD, UV–Vis DRS, SEM, and PL instruments. The photodegradation efficiency of the zeolite-supported g-C3N4/ZnO/CeO2 nanocomposite for MB dye and textile processing effluent was investigated and found to be 95.2% and 72.77%, respectively. Using a zeolite-supported (STZ) composite, the influence of working parameters such as pH, initial dye amount, and catalyst dose on MB dye photodegradation was investigated. The photodegradation efficiencies of the bare ternary system and its zeolite-supported counterpart were determined to be 81.74 and 95.89%, respectively, under optimal operating circumstances. The action of several scavengers revealed that the principal active species that participated in the degradation of MB dye were •O2– and •OH. After five consecutive runs, the reusability of the supported photocatalyst was examined, and only approximately a 5% decrease was noted. For the entire as-prepared nanocomposite, the photodegradation of MB dye follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. When compared to the unitary, binary, and ternary as-synthesized nanocomposites, zeolite-supported g-C3N4/ZnO/CeO2 demonstrated a superior degradation efficiency and hence has potential applications in the photodegradation of harmful organic contaminants. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.