Nanocomposite ZnO-TiO 2 powders of varying ZnO/TiO 2 molar ratios have been prepared from their salt/compound by heating at 600°C and 900°C and characterized using scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction techniques. The nanosized powders can decolorize/degrade brilliant golden yellow (BGY), an azo dye extensively used in textile industries, in water under solar irradiation. The effects of various parameters such as photocatalyst loading, molar ratio of ZnO/TiO 2 , pH of the solution, initial dye concentration, and irradiation time on the photodecolorization have been investigated. ZnO-TiO 2 nanocomposite (6 g/L) in the molar ratio of 1:1 or 3:1, prepared at 900°C, can efficiently decolorize about 98% of 20 mg/L BGY at pH of about 7 by 2-h illumination in sunlight. The initial dye decolorization follows pseudo-first-order kinetics. Finally, trial experiments were done using real textile wastewater to find out the effectiveness of the photocatalysts to a more complex system.

This article presents a method for the electrochemical preparation of a coating of nickel-silica nanocomposites on a carbon steel substrate. The incorporation of hydrophilic silica particles into the Ni composite coating during co-electrodeposition is so difficult due to the small size and the hydrophilicity of SiO 2 particle, generally less than 2 v% of silica is incorporated into the composite at different current densities, agitation speeds and silica concentrations. The effect of the presence of four surfactants, namely cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB), decylglycoside (DG), cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC) and ammonium lauryl ether sulfate (ALES), on overcoming this problem was investigated in this research, and the surfactants were found to greatly influence the surface charge of silica, silica incorporation percentage and the microstructure of the composite. In fact, upon increasing the internal stresses, the products prepared in the presence of CAPB and DG were found to crack to some degree. CTAC was found to lead to entrapment mode silica co-deposition in the Ni coating. Furthermore, the addition of ALES into an electrolyte bath negatively supercharged silica surfaces and increased silica dispersion, which led to a dramatic increase in the silica incorporation percentages to around 14 v%. The results showed that Ni-SiO 2 composites prepared in the presence of ALES had better corrosion resistance, hardness and wear properties.

ZnO, comprising nanosize particles (approximately 40 nm) has been prepared by heating (300°C) ZnCO3, which was obtained as precipitate by mixing ZnSO4 and (NH4)2CO3 solutions. The prepared ZnO was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and adsorption studies. It has been used to catalyze the decolorization of Ponceau S (PS), a model diazo dye, in an aqueous suspension under visible light (I ≈ 1.8 × 10−4 W cm−2). This ZnO was found to be more efficient as a photocatalyst compared to pristine ZnO. ZnO samples with higher temperatures (500°C and 700°C) show less catalytic activity. SEM images show that the particle size of ZnO increases with the increase in calcined temperature of ZnO through agglomeration, resulting in a decrease in surface area. Photodecolorization of PS is affected by its and ZnO concentrations, but unaffected by the initial pH of the solutions in the range of 4 to 7. Illumination for a sufficiently long time completely mineralizes the dye, but no Zn2+ can be detected in the clear solution. Photodegradation kinetics in the ZnO suspension obeys the Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation, and some activation of the ZnO surface by light is indicated.

Kinetics of homogeneous degradation of Eosin Y (EY), also known as Acid red 87 (CI 45380), are studied, mostly using Fenton's process, at 30˚C by monitoring its absorbance at 517 nm (λ max of EY). This process is one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Mixture of H 2 O 2 and Fe(II) ion in acetate buffer medium (pH 2.74 -4.56) generates hydroxyl free radicals (• OH) which attack the dye molecules, resulting in degradation of the dye molecules. Results show that the initial rate of EY degradation decreases with the increasing of solution pH because of removal of kinetically important Fe (iron) species through formation of ferric hydroxide. On the other hand, the rate increases with increasing the concentrations of H 2 O 2 , Fe(II) and EY at low solution pH. The initial rate increases with increasing of concentration of H 2 O 2 and, subsequently remains unaffected with further increase of its concentration at a constant Fe(II) concentration because of the enhanced scavenging environment created by H 2 O 2 at its higher concentration. The initial rate also increases with increasing of concentration of Fe(II) at a constant H 2 O 2 concentration and remains unaffected with its further increase. EY concentration also enhances the initial rate at low pH. However, the initial rate is significantly enhanced by UV light. This is because of formation of additional hydroxyl radicals through excitation of the dye molecules by UV light. During the period of experiment, EY in aqueous solution alone hardly suffered any degradation. Degradation mechanism of EY by the Fenton and photo-Fenton's processes is also discussed. Statistical analysis was used to validate the experimental results. Low values of the standard deviation for both the initial rate and % degradation indicated the consistency of the experimental data.How to cite this paper: Hossain, A., Rayhan, A.B.M.S., Raihan, M

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