Fabrication and photocatalytic properties of ceramic ZnS nanocomposites

Ceramic ZnS nanocomposites were prepared by mechanical processing and one-step heat sintering with powder mixtures of fly ash, waste glass, and ZnS (template-free hydrothermal method manufacturing). Chemical durability and morphological characteristics of heat-treated samples at 800 ℃ with/without acid treatment were evaluated. The photocatalytic activities were estimated with methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), acetaldehyde (ATA), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as photodegradation targets. Crystallization behaviors of the prepared ceramic ZnS nanocomposites were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). In addition, compressive and bending strength as mechanical properties were evaluated. Ceramic ZnS nanocomposites were found to showed improvement in optimal photocatalytic reaction and physical properties regardless of acid treatment when the amount of ZnS nanoparticles was increased from 7.0 to 25.0 wt%. Degrees of photocatalytic decomposition of MO, ATA, 2,4-D, and MB by acid treated ceramic ZnS nanocomposites containing 25 wt% ZnS were about 0.185, 0.121, 0.216, 0.236, respectively, after UV irradiation for 180 min.