Computational And Experimental Studies On Methylene Blue Dye For Sunlight-Driven Photodegradation

Abstract

Using modified Hummer's method, nanographene oxide (NGO) was synthesized from graphite flakes. The Mn3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation method. The NGO-Mn3O4 nanocomposite synthesis was mediated by bottom-up method. The composite NGO-Mn3O4 was characterized using instrumental techniques including PXRD, SEM, FTIR, UV Reflectance studies, TGA, and DSC. Computational studies were done for methylene blue. The photodegradation studies of methylene blue were carried out using this nanocomposite under sunlight irradiation. While NGO was active in the photodegradation of methylene blue, NGO-Mn3O4 showed better activity than the pure Mn3O4 photocatalyst. Kinetics studies were conducted to determine the reaction's order and rate.