ZnO/Boron Nitride Quantum Dots Nanocomposites for the Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and Methyl Orange

Abstract

In this study, a heterostructure photocatalyst of ZnO nanoparticles decorated with boron nitride quantum dots (ZnO/BNQDs) was successfully synthesized by a simple solution procedure. The synthesized ZnO/BNQDs show that the BNQDs effectively suppress the recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes and the transfer of holes from ZnO nanoparticles by the formation of a heterojunction. The ZnO/BNQD nanocomposites thus demonstrate superior photocatalytic performances and excellent stability for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) under UV light irradiation. Based on the obtained results, the possible photocatalytic mechanism is proposed and discussed. Thus, the ZnO/BNQD nanocomposites demonstrate potential as an efficient low-cost photocatalyst for application in the photodegradation of organic dyes in wastewater for environmental remediation.