Sunlight mediated photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by statistical optimization of green synthesized NiO NPs as catalyst

Abstract

In this manuscript we have prepared nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) using Calotropis gigantea latex (CGL) through green synthesis method in which the latex acts as a capping agent. The synthesis part was optimized using RSM-BBD methodology. Further the synthesized NiO NPs were subjected to various analytical techniques like UV–Visible spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Energy Dispersive Analysis (EDX), Particle Size Histogram and Zeta potential. We observed the cuboidal shape of NiO NPs with 28 ± 2 nm as average particle size. Further the synthesized NiO NPs were subjected to degrade toxic diazo dye Congo red (CR) and organic compound 4-Nitro phenol in the presence of sunlight within short duration of time. The results indicate that the NiO NPs degrades 95% of CR and 94% of nitro phenol.