Photocatalysts Capability of Bentonite-ZnO Nanocomposite Synthesized by Solution Combustion in Ciprofloxacin Degradation

The increasing industries and population growth, make various new needs for water. So, scientists and researchers try to invent new methods for processing and synthesizing new materials to recycle used water sources. In this research, Zn (NO3)2.6H2O (zinc nitrate) and C2H5NO2 (glycine) were used as raw materials in Solution Combustion Synthesis technique (SCS) to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. Also, the bentonite is added to the reaction container during the synthesis to act as substrate for nanoparticles to produce Bentonite-ZnO nanocomposite in-situ in less than 10 min at the air atmosphere. The successful synthesis was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and the reason of that was explained by DSC-TGA of raw materials. It proved the same thermal behaviors of zinc nitrate as oxidizer and glycine as fuel could carry out the reaction. The SEM and TEM images demonstrated the decoration of ZnO on bentonite. Finally, the photodegradtaion of an antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) in presence of synthesized nanocomposite was examined under direct sunlight. The results showed about 97% degradation efficiency and 81% for total organic carbon removal after 3h reaction at the rate constants of 1.04 h-1. The blank test from just bentonite shows less than 10% degradation efficiency that proves the presence of ZnO increases this value more than 87%.