EVALUATION OF PHOTOCATALYTIC DYE DEGRADATION EFFICACY OF ZNO NANOPARTICLES SYNTHESIZED BY SOL-GEL METHOD AT DIFFERENT CALCINATION TEMPERATURESKAVITHAYENI V., AKASH PRABHU S., PRAKASH V., RABINDER HENRY3 AND JAYANT PAWARAbstract Sol-Gel method assisted synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) achieved by change in reaction time and calcination temperature. 0.1 M Zinc Acetate and 0.2 M Sodium Hydroxide used as metal precursor and reducing agent, respectively. Spectroscopic and microscopic characterization carried out for ZnO nanomaterials to analyse the optical and morphological properties of the materials. The λmax for all the ZnO NPs treated at different calcination temperature was found to be in the range of 325- 398 nm and that of the band gap calculated for same was in the range of 3.81- 3.12 eV. The structural and morphological analysis reveals formation of agglomerated bunches of nanoparticles of ZnO having size ranges from 50- 80 nm. Further, ZnO NPs in the concentration of 1 mg/mL found effective photocatalytic nanomaterial for degradation of crystal violet under UV and visible light at seven hours of incubation. The dye degradation efficiency of ZnO NPs reported to change with respect to change in pre- and post-synthesis parameters like reaction time and calcination temperature. |