Ultrasonically Pd functionalized, surface plasmon enhanced ZnO/CeO2 heterostructure for degradation of organic pollutants in water

Recognizing the intrinsic active behavior of photocatalyst benefits to design a superior photocatalyst with a little bit amount of noble metal as compared to their heavily loaded counterparts and mixed oxides will always be appreciable. Herein, systematic studies of Pd deposition on ZnO/CeO2 nanostructures were explored to realize superior photodegradation efficacies. Pd-dispersed ZnO/CeO2 were successfully synthesized via hydrothermal method followed by ultrasonication deposition technique. Pd functionalization improved the structural, morphological, optical, and photocatalytic properties of ZnO/CeO(2 )composites. Experimental data and kinetics studies revealed that composites with 1.0 wt. % Pd exhibit superior photocatalytic activity toward Rhodamine B and Triclopyr degradation. To evaluate the highest active species, different scavengers like IPA, EDTA, and BQ were used. The degradation kinetics at different pH values were also explored to study the effect of reaction medium pH. This work offers new insights to scheme Pd deposition on the binary composite to improve photocatalytic activity.