Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO-Biochar Hybrid Composites

Abstract

Photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) was studied on ZnO in presence of home-made biochars prepared by different methods. MB photodegradation was performed under UV-visible irradiation to verify the scaling-up of ZnO-AC hybrid materials. It was verified that oxygenated surface groups on carbon were photochemically active in the photodegradation of MB and a synergy effect between both solids has been estimated from the first-order apparent rate-constants. This effect enhances the photoactivity of ZnO up to a factor about 2.5 and the difference in photoactivity in the binary materials was associated to the surface properties of AC.