Emerging nanocomposites as highly efficient materials for photocatalysis of dyes: Synthesis routes, characterization, and reaction mechanism

Abstract

Organic pollutants in water stream are the foremost concern, due to the high concentration of various coloring components known as dyes or dyestuffs. Industries such as textiles, leather, plastic, etc. are the primary sources of dyes and these are undesirable for our environment and human life. There are various techniques for dye contaminated wastewater treatment, such as photocatalysis, adsorption, membrane filtration, etc. Among these techniques, photocatalysis is preferred due to the high degradation rate, less formation of by-products, etc. Nanocomposites are the new trend photocatalyst materials used in dye photocatalysis due to high degradation of dye, fast kinetic rate, less by-product formation, and easy regeneration. The primary objective of this chapter is to address the synthesis process, surface and morphology characterization, and photocatalysis effects of nanocomposite, and also discuss the degradation/removal efficiency of various hazardous dyes by photocatalysis processes using nanocomposites. The common reaction mechanism related to the photocatalysis of dye degradation by nanocomposite was also discussed. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.