Abstract
A modified sol-gel route was used to prepare zinc oxide nanorods, and its sample was named as the Z sample. Photoassisted-deposition regime has been utilized to decorate ZnO nanorods with copper; percentage weight of Cu dopant was adjusted to be 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 wt.%, their samples were named as CuZ-0.3, CuZ-0.6, CuZ-0.9 and CuZ-1.2 samples, respectively. Z and CuZ samples were characterized using different tools. The values of the surface area of Z, CuZ-0.3, CuZ-0.6, CuZ-0.9 and CuZ-1.2 samples are 80, 78, 76, 73 and 70 m(2)/g, respectively. Thus, decoration of copper in zinc oxide surface blocks some pore of zinc oxide and hence reduces surface area. XPS results reveal that copper was decorated in zinc oxide nanorods surface as metallic copper. The efficiency of Z and CuZ samples was inspected for the reduction of mercury ions under visible light. Photocatalyst of CuZ-0.9 sample has the best photocatalytic activity for reduction of mercury (II), at which 100% of mercury (II) can be reduced within 20 min using 0.9 g/L photocatalyst dose.