SYNTHESIS OF AN EFFICIENT PHOTOCATALYST (ACTIVATED CARBON SUPPORTED ZnS) FOR METHYLENE BLUE DEGRADATION

Abstract

In the present study, activated carbon (AC) supported ZnS catalysts at different concentrations of AC were synthesized using hydrothermal method. The MB photocatalytic degradation efficiency of AC supported ZnS catalysts at different concentrations of AC was examined in the presence of UV-C lamp. As a result of photocatalytic measurements, the catalyst having the best photocatalytic activation was determined. The effect of different parameters, such as the amount of catalyst and dye concentration, on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was investigated in the presence of this catalyst.Moreover, The photocatalytic degradation kinetics of methylene blue in the presence of catalyst were investigated by first and second order kinetic model. In the last part of the study, structural, morphological and elemental properties of the catalyst having the best photocatalytic activity were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX)measurements, respectively.