Utility of Nanotechnology in Dye Degradation

Plasmonic nanoparticles and low-dimensional graphene-based derivatives are increasingly used for decolourization and degradation of harmful organic pollutants. However, the utility of their hybrid compositions synthesized via low-cost routes is rarely discussed. Our research examines the efficiency of surfactant-free nanomaterials and their composites with graphene oxide towards the degradation of four important textile and laser dyes, namely: Rhodamine B (RB), Methylene blue (MB), Sulforhodamine 101 hydrate (SR) and Fluorescein (FS). The surfactant-free metal-graphene oxide nanocomposites are engineered in two different techniques: (i) laser ablation mediated synthesis (LAMS) and (ii) multifunctional soret nano-assemblies (MSNAs). On account of the hybridized plasmonic effects from the large charge density oscillations in plasmonic nanoparticles and π-plasmons of graphene oxide, intriguing results are obtained and discussed in this chapter. The synergistic interplay and electron relay between the π-plasmons of graphene oxide and that of organic dyes (π-π stacking), in the vicinity of the plasmonic nanocomposites, significantly enhances the performance of the engineered nanomaterials toward dye degradation. The dye-degradation of xenobiotic pollutants demonstrated here opens a new door for the development of a broad spectrum of low-cost surfactant-free nanocomposites for environmental remediation. This study presents a futuristic insight to explore the synergy of low-dimensional and plasmonic nanomaterials constituting elements from different parts of the periodic table to accomplish dye degradation and related applications.

Keywords: Dye degradation, Environmental remediation, Electron relay, Laser ablation, Low-cost surfactant-free, Plasmonic nanocomposites, Soret nano-assemblies, π-plasmons.