Abstract
In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were incorporated inside C-100 as a kind of ion exchange material by impregnation with 8% Zn(CH3COO)(2) solution. The modified material after Zn2+ loading was then treated with a solution of 5% sodium hydroxide to precipitate zinc hydroxide species on the surface of the C-100 exchanger as well as inside the internal pores of the polymeric matrix. After precipitation of zinc hydroxide, the materials were exposed to roasted vapor for an hour on the intermittent periods of time to form a zinc oxide. The synthesized samples with different ZnO loadings were denoted as Zn-HCIX and characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and the tunneling electron microscope. The synthesized materials were applied in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye in aqueous medium using UV irradiation (=254nm) under different experimental conditions. The data obtained indicate that the synthesized materials possess a very good adsorption capacity as well as excellent catalytic activity toward the removal of methylene blue.