Sol-gel synthesized Cu/ZnS nanocomposites for photocatalytic dye degradation and antibacterial activity

Abstract

In this research, triethanolamine was used as a templating agent to synthesize Cu doped ZnS nanoparticles (NPs) with (1, 3, and 5 wt.%) by sol gel method. Utilizing different characterization techniques such as UV-Vis DRS, IR, XRD, BET and TEM, the produced nanocomposites (NC) were characterized. The surface area increased significantly from 57.1 to 152.4 m² g⁻¹ because of the computed band gap energy being diminished from 3.6 to 2.25 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the created nanoparticles was determined by destroying methylene blue dye (MB) and methyl violet (MV) under sunlight irradiation. The findings showed that the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Cu/ZnS (5 wt.%) nano powders for MB and MV rose to 95% from 59 and 99% from 75% for undoped ZnS nanoparticles, respectively. The produced nanocomposites also proved to have excellent antibacterial action against Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria E. coli (Escherichia coli) under sunlight irradiation. The antibacterial action of Cu/ZnS (5 wt.%) nano powders reached 99.9 and 96% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Cu/ZnS (NC), sol-gel
• pollution
• photocatalytic degradation
• antibacterial

Acknowledgements

The authors are greatly thankful to New Valley University and Al-Azhar University (Assiut) for research facilities.

Ethical approval

The submission of this work is according to the ethics followed by the journal. All the coauthors consent to participate and are aware of and approve of the submission. All the coauthors consent to publish. All authors approved the version to be published. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Author contributions

Doaa A. Ali did the preparation, characterization and applications of the fabricated nanocomposites under the supervision of Emad E. El-Katori and A. M. Nagiub. Emad E. El-Katori and A. M. Nagiub provided the concept and wrote the paper. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.