Facile Synthesis of ZSM-5/TiO2/Ni Novel Nanocomposite for the Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye

It is critical to develop an appropriate dye degrading technique to preserve the natural environment and human health owing to the dangerous water pollution caused by effluent dyes. So, in this work, a ZSM-5/TiO2/Ni photocatalyst was synthesized as a novel composite and used for degrading methylene blue dye in the solution. The sol-gel approach was used to immobilize titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the ZSM-5 surface, and the resulting photocatalyst was then modified using nickel nanoparticles to improve its photocatalytic performance. The nanocomposite was characterized using different tools such as FE-SEM, EDX, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The XRD confirmed that the synthesized composite has the characteristic TiO2 peaks. FE-SEM images of ZSM-5 exhibited rough, uneven, and jagged surfaces. A distinct shift in the morphology of the surface resulted when titanium dioxide was fully immobilized on the surface of ZSM-5. Shape complexity and surface roughness of the particles are elevated in the case of the ZSM-5/TiO2/Ni nanocomposite. The maximum % degradation of 50 mL of 15 mg/L of methylene blue dye is 99.17% and achieved at pH = 8, irradiation time = 140 min, and photocatalyst dosage = 0.05 g. The synthesized composite can be regenerated and reused several times without losing its efficacy.