Photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using cysteine capped ZnO/P(3HB-co-3HHx) fiber under UV and visible light irradiation

l-Cysteine capped zinc oxide (CCZ) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the chemical precipitation method. They were immobilized onto a biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] by electrospinning. ZnO, CCZ and immobilized CCZ were spectrochemically characterized using X-ray diffraction, photoluminescence and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The surface morphology of the catalyst was studied by scanning electron microscopy technique. The as-synthesized material exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye under both UV and visible light irradiation. The higher photocatalytic activity of the immobilized CCZ in the degradation of RhB was mostly attributed to their web structure with small size. It was found that the immobilized CCZ retained its photocatalytic activity up to three successive catalytic runs, which was found difficult with bare ZnO. Thus, the P(3HB-co-3HHx) support would be useful in immobilizing metal oxide NPs for diverse applications owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility.