Fabrication and enhanced photocatalytic performance of sodium alginate/polyacrylamide hydrogel-supported ZnOVS photocatalysis

Photocatalysis technology, as an environmentally friendly and efficient means of water purification, has shown great potential for the degradation of organic pollutants, but its application is limited by the low efficiency of photocatalysis, the difficulty of catalyst regeneration and the high separation cost. In this study, we innovatively developed a composite photocatalyst supported by low surface oxygen vacancy zinc oxide (ZnOVS) on sodium alginate polyacrylamide hydrogel (ZnOVS/SA/PAM). The reduction in surface oxygen vacancies in ZnO was found to enhance the photocatalytic activity. By incorporating the catalyst into sodium alginate polyacrylamide hydrogel (SA/PAM), the catalyst's reusability can be significantly improved. The experimental results confirmed that the methylene blue (MB) removal efficiency of ZnOVS/SA/PAM was as high as 94.2 % within 120 min, and the adsorption-photocatalytic degradation efficiency remained at a high level of 73.6 % after 10 cycles of use. Therefore, ZnOVS/SA/PAM exhibits great potential as a low-cost, easily recoverable, and efficient photocatalytic composite, which provides a new solution for the efficient removal of organic pollutants in water bodies. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.