Nitrogenated CQD decorated ZnO nanorods towards rapid photodegradation of rhodamine B: a combined experimental and theoretical approach

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that nitrogen-doped carbon dots decorated ZnO nanorods significantly enhance the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B under UV light, combining experimental results with theoretical insights for environmental cleanup.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel hybrid ZnO/NCQD nanostructure that improves photocatalytic efficiency and stability compared to bare ZnO, supported by both experimental and theoretical analysis.

Findings

ZnO/NCQD achieves ~90% dye degradation in 9 minutes

ZnO/NCQD shows better stability and reusability than bare ZnO

Density functional theory confirms optimal band alignment for photocatalysis

Abstract

In this work, hybridization of nonmetal nitrogen-doped carbon dots (NCQDs) with ZnO nanorods (NRs) is utilized towards better photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The structural characterization is confirmed by XRD, XPS, FTIR and HRTEM measurements, while, optical properties have been investigated using UV-visible absorbance spectroscopy and photoluminescence study. The dye degradation using ZnO NR is recorded as ~69%, while the performance of ZnO/NCQD climbs up to ~90%, after nine minutes of UV irradiation. Furthermore, the reusability test suggests better stability of ZnO/NCQD than bare ZnO under photocorrosion. The cyclic voltammetry study confirms that the photoinduced electron-hole pairs originate from the heterojunction established between the interfaces of NCQD and ZnO. An insight on the photocatalytic excellence of ZnO/NCQD system is drawn from the density functional theory study. This indicates that appropriate band alignment of the heterostructure constituents is the key factor in this experimental attempt towards environment remedy.