TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimized photocatalytic degradation of 2-naphthol using ZnO/rGO nanocomposites synthesized from palm kernel shell waste
AU - Faaizatunnisa, Nuhaa
AU - Ediati, Ratna
AU - Yusof, Enis Nadia M.D.
AU - Fadlan, Arif
AU - Karelius, Karelius
AU - Kulsum, Ummu
AU - Ariesta, Muhammad Naufal
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2025/2
Y1 - 2025/2
N2 - The widespread use of 2-naphthol in various industries, coupled with its high toxicity and persistence as an organic pollutant, necessitates effective degradation methods. This study synthesized ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites (NCs) via a hydrothermal method for photocatalytic degradation of 2-naphthol. Graphene oxide (GO), derived from palm kernel shell waste through a modified Hummers method, was reduced to rGO using N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), which also facilitated ZnO nanomaterial formation on GO. Given the growing environmental concerns associated with hazardous pollutants, the development of such nanocomposites represents a promising advancement in photocatalytic technology for sustainable remediation. The GO loading was optimized to enhance performance, with results showing improved surface area and adsorption capacity. ZnO/rGO NCs with 10 % GO loading (ZR(10)) achieved 95 % 2-naphthol degradation after 120 min of irradiation, outperforming pure ZnO and other ZR NCs. ZR(10) retained 67.7 % activity after three reuse cycles, with a second-order kinetic rate constant of 0.0115 h−1. Additionally, the catalyst maintained its ZnO crystal structure, demonstrating excellent stability. A potential degradation mechanism of 2-naphthol by ZR(10) is proposed. This study highlights the eco-friendly use of palm kernel shell waste as a carbon precursor and underscores the potential of ZnO/rGO as efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation.
AB - The widespread use of 2-naphthol in various industries, coupled with its high toxicity and persistence as an organic pollutant, necessitates effective degradation methods. This study synthesized ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites (NCs) via a hydrothermal method for photocatalytic degradation of 2-naphthol. Graphene oxide (GO), derived from palm kernel shell waste through a modified Hummers method, was reduced to rGO using N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), which also facilitated ZnO nanomaterial formation on GO. Given the growing environmental concerns associated with hazardous pollutants, the development of such nanocomposites represents a promising advancement in photocatalytic technology for sustainable remediation. The GO loading was optimized to enhance performance, with results showing improved surface area and adsorption capacity. ZnO/rGO NCs with 10 % GO loading (ZR(10)) achieved 95 % 2-naphthol degradation after 120 min of irradiation, outperforming pure ZnO and other ZR NCs. ZR(10) retained 67.7 % activity after three reuse cycles, with a second-order kinetic rate constant of 0.0115 h−1. Additionally, the catalyst maintained its ZnO crystal structure, demonstrating excellent stability. A potential degradation mechanism of 2-naphthol by ZR(10) is proposed. This study highlights the eco-friendly use of palm kernel shell waste as a carbon precursor and underscores the potential of ZnO/rGO as efficient photocatalysts for environmental remediation.
KW - 2-Naphthol
KW - Organic pollutant degradation
KW - Palm kernel-derived graphene
KW - Reduced graphene oxide
KW - ZnO nanomaterials
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214926754&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.106977
DO - 10.1016/j.jwpe.2025.106977
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85214926754
SN - 2214-7144
VL - 70
JO - Journal of Water Process Engineering
JF - Journal of Water Process Engineering
M1 - 106977
ER -