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Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of sugarcane factory wastewater using WO3/ZnO thin films

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Abstract

In the present work, layered WO3/ZnO thin films have been prepared by simple chemical spray pyrolysis method. As prepared films are characterized by photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cell, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Brunauer–Emmer–Teller (BET) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. XRD analysis reveals the formation of hexagonal and monoclinic phases of ZnO and WO3 respectively. Raman analysis confirms the formation of layered WO3/ZnO thin films. FE-SEM images demonstrate that the surface morphology of layered WO3/ZnO consists of nano balls like morphology. The specific surface area of the layered WO3/ZnO thin film is found to be 65.12 m2 g−1. The photoelectrocatalytic degradation properties of layered WO3/ZnO thin films were investigated by studying degradation of sugarcane factory wastewater. The end result shows that the degradation percentage of sugarcane factory wastewater using layered WO3/ZnO photo electrode has reached 94.44% after 100 min. under sunlight illumination.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are very much thankful to Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, for the financial support through the research project no. PDF/2017/000691 and Dr. Y. M. Hunge is thankful to Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, for the financial support and awarding National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) award F. No. PDF/2017/000691.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra, India

    Y. M. Hunge & V. L. Mathe

  2. Department of Physics, The Institute of Science, 15 Madam Cama Road, Mumbai, 400032, India

    A. A. Yadav

  3. Ajara Mahavidhyalaya, Ajara, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India

    B. M. Mohite

  4. Department of Physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India

    C. H. Bhosale

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Hunge, Y.M., Yadav, A.A., Mohite, B.M. et al. Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of sugarcane factory wastewater using WO3/ZnO thin films. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 3808–3816 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-017-8316-1

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