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AbstractThe alarming global issue of dye contamination in water poses a critical threat to both human health and aquatic ecosystems, exacerbated by the irresponsible discharge of colored pollutants from the textile industry. Amidst various remedies, photocatalysis utilizing Titanium dioxide (TiO2) stands out as a remarkably effective solution for combatting dye pollution. In an endeavor to elevate the efficiency of TiO2, this study dedicated its focus to the successful synthesis of anatase-phase coupled doped Zinc-Cobalt (Zn-Co) TiO2 nanoparticles (TDNPs), achieved through a dual approach involving chemical encapsulation with Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and green encapsulation with Tinospora Cordifolia (T. Cordifolia). The encapsulated Zn-Co TDNPs underwent meticulous analysis, unveiling a tetragonal crystal structure and presenting a visually appealing spherical morphology, with particle sizes ranging from 61 to 82 nm. The photocatalytic prowess of the encapsulated TDNPs proved to be nothing short of impressive, showcasing an outstanding degradation efficiency of up to 99 % for both methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) dyes under UV radiation. Beyond their exceptional dye remediation capabilities, these encapsulated TDNPs also exhibited noteworthy antioxidant activity, demonstrating an efficacy of up to 96 and 95 % in the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and hydrogen peroxide (HP) assay, respectively. This study not only addresses a critical environmental concern but also highlights the tantalizing potential of encapsulated Zn-Co TDNPs in paving the way for sustainable and effective water treatment solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bimetallic CuO/Cu2O-ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using Ipomoea carnea leaf extract. The Cu and Zn were mixed in ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40, and the mixture was heated under controlled microwave conditions (2.45 GHz and 700 W). Various spectroscopic techniques were used to characterize the synthesized samples. The XRD patterns confirmed crystallinity, and the size of the synthesized CuO/Cu2O-ZnO NCs was estimated to be in the range of 7–24 nm. SEM images showed well-defined star, spherical, and flower-like shapes, while TEM analysis revealed the size of the NCs to be between 8–50 nm. The presence of elemental and organic compositions was confirmed by EDX and FTIR analysis. The energy band gaps ranged between 1.47–2.9 eV, while the stability of the CuO/Cu2O-ZnO NCs was found to be in the range of − 15.7 to − 26.9 mV based on zeta potential values. XPS analysis confirmed the purity of the synthesized materials. Antibacterial activity against human pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis, was demonstrated using the well diffusion method. Additionally, the 90:10 CuO/Cu2O-ZnO NCs exhibited high photocatalytic degradation efficiency for methyl orange (96.45%) and methylene blue (98.96%) dyes within 45 min. However, the maximum antioxidant activity (99.77%) was observed in the case of 60:40 CuO/Cu2O-ZnO NCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning to optimize the photocatalytic action efficiency. The synthesis of the fibers was carried out at four different wt% concentrations: 8, 9, 10 & 11% of polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The TiO2 fibers were further calcined at 700 °C to get powder form. The uncalcinated and calcined TiO2 nanofibers were characterized by using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the rutile phase of the calcined TiO2nanofibers in powder form with a crystallite size of 34–38 nm. The surface morphology of the uncalcinated and calcined TiO2 nanofibers was examined by SEM and the fiber diameter found to be 360–540 nm. The optical bandgap of the calcined TiO2 nanofibers was found in the range of 3.29–3.24 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanofibers as examined for uncalcinated and calcined nanofibers, methyl orange (MO) dye degraded up to 98 and 78%, respectively in 180 min under the exposure of UV light. Uncalcinated TiO2 nanofibers were found more suitable for degradation of MO dye as compared to calcined nanofibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]