Application of CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/multi-shell QDs as a high-performance nanocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue from water

Abstract

The application of nanocatalysts for the removal of dyes from industries' wastewater and effluents has attracted great attention these days. In this paper, CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/multi-shell quantum dots were used as a nanocatalyst for the degradation and removal of methylene blue, methylene orange, and rhodamine b dyes from water. The obtained results showed that CdTe/CdS/ZnS nanocatalyst had excellent ability for removal of methylene blue dye from water and after 60 min reaction time, methylene blue dye was completely degraded (100%). Also, the degradation percentage of rhodamine b and methylene orange dyes was obtained at about 80.2% and 55.2%, respectively. The radical scavenger experiment was used to study which active radicals play a key role in the photocatalyst process of CdTe/CdS/ZnS nanocatalyst with methylene blue dye and results showed that electrons play a key role in the degradation process. The successful formation of CdTe/CdS/ZnS core/multi-shell QDs was studied by XRD, EDS, PL, absorbance, and TEM analysis.

Keywords

• cdte/cds/zns
• nanocatalyst
• core/multi-shell qds
• mb degradation
• wastewater treatment