Effect of operational key parameters on photocatalytic degradation of phenol using nano nickel oxide synthesized by sol-gel method

Khizar Hayat, M. A. Gondal, Mazen M. Khaled, Shakeel Ahmed

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

100 Scopus citations

Abstract

Photocatalytic oxidation of phenol was studied using nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel method. The morphology of synthesized catalyst was studied by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The average particle size was 6.5 nm as estimated by Scherrer formula and was confirmed by HRTEM and FESEM analysis. The photocatalytic activity of NiO was evaluated by degradation of phenol under irradiation of unique source like UV laser. The influence of various key parameters such as amount of photocatalyst, initial solution pH and the initial concentration of phenol was investigated. The operational parameters show the expected influence regarding the efficiency of the photocatalytic degradation process. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of NiO was found to decrease with the increase in the initial solution pH. The degradation of the phenol followed a pseudo first-order rate kinetics with k = 5.7 × 10-2 min-1.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)64-71
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical
Volume336
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 14 Feb 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The support by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and KACST through projects 08-NAN93-4 is gratefully acknowledged. One of the authors (Khizar Hayat) is thankful to KFUPM for graduate assistantship.

Keywords

  • Heterogeneous photocatalysis
  • Nano nickel oxide
  • Nanoparticles
  • Phenol
  • Waste water treatment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • Process Chemistry and Technology
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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