| Summary: | ZnO/Nickel (ZnO/Ni) heterostructures have been studied extensively as potential hybrid materials for photocatalysis applications due to their unique properties and potential applications. The photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO alone is compromised by its wide bandgap energy and high exciton binding energy. To enhance the effectiveness and photostability of ZnO nanoparticles, they can be doped with other elements such as transition metals, non-metals, and noble metals. Herein, we report a facile ultrasonic-assisted chemical mixing technique to prepare ZnO/Ni composite photocatalyst at various weight percentage (10 – 50%). Photocatalytic ability of as synthesized samples was examined for the degradation of methyl orange dye. The ZnO/Ni composite has been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. It is found that the 10 wt.% ZnO/Ni composite produce the highest photocatalytic efficiency with percentage degradation of 89.17% and photodegradation rate constant of 0.0285 min-1 compared to other samples. These results suggest that the introduction of Ni acts as an electron sink, promoting charge separation in ZnO results in efficient light absorption and enhanced the photocatalytic activity The enhanced photocatalytic ability of ZnO/Ni composite make it a potential candidate for removal of organic pollutants from wastewater. © 2024, Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences. All rights reserved.
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