International Journal of Applied Sciences & Development
E-ISSN: 2945-0454
Volume 3, 2024
Photocatalytic Removal of Polyester Polyurethane, and Polyethylene Microplastics via ZnO-Fe-Mg-C Nanocomposite to H2
Authors: ,
Abstract: In this work $$H_2$$ generation was studied via polyester, polyurethane, and polyethylene microplastics using a novel nanocomposite namely zinc oxide-iron-magnesium-carbon (ZnO/Fe/Mg/C). The probability of H2-production from plastic wastes was researched. The characterization of this nanocomposite were performed by XRD, FTIR, Raman, SEM, EDS and TEM analysis. XRD analysis showed that lattice planes of ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite were distributed as (100), (002), (101), (102), (110), (103), (200), (112) and (004) according to FTIR analysis, it was found that the ligth abundances at 610, 682 and 779 $$cm^{−1}$$ were associated with the Zn and O moeities, while the maximum peak at 399 $$cm^{−1}$$ can be defined with Zn, Fe and Mg oxides and they connected to Zn and OH radicals. Raman spectra exhibited the G-band at 1499 $$cm^{−1}$$ as special properties of sp2 carbonated moeities. SEM results showed that a brittle and porous structure containing spherical nanosized particles was detected in the ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite, where various voids were formed, while the zinc particle size containing carbon-Mg-Fe was increased by excess carbon and ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite. Furtheremore the effects of some operational conditions (time, nanocomposite concentration, temperature) on the yields of H2 productions from both micropollutants were examined. The maximum $$H_2$$ production was detected at 250 mg/l polyethylene microplastic as 9800 ml/h with ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite a, containing 2% Fe while the $$H_2$$ production was detected as 7800 ml/h from polyester polyurethane with the same nanocomposite. Optimum operating conditions; maximum $$H_2$$ production efficiencies of 99% polyethylene and 88% polyester polyurethane were achieved at 3 mg/l ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite a, concentration, at 3 minutes and at 5 minutes experimental times and at 125$$^{o}C$$ temperature, respectively.
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Keywords: Hydrogen ($$H_2$$) production, $$H_2$$, fuels, Microplastics, Polyester Polyethylene, Polyurethane, Photocatalytic removal, ZnO/Fe/Mg/C nanocomposite
Pages: 97-115
DOI: 10.37394/232029.2024.3.9