Synthesis of ZrO2 via Ultrasonic Assisted Precipitation Method for Photodegradation of Methylene Blue
Nanda Dwimar Hakim[1], Soni Setiadji[1,*], Sanusi[1], Neng Hani Handayani[1], Tety Sudiarti[1], Asti Sawitri[2], Hasniah Aliah[2] and Dani Gustaman Syarif[3]

1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Jl. A.H. Nasution No.105 Bandung, West Java, 40614, Indonesia.
2Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Jl. A.H. Nasution No.105 Bandung, West Java, 40614, Indonesia.
3Lab. of Material Physics, Badan Tenaga Atom Nasional, Jl. Taman Sari Bandung No. 71, West Java, 40132, Indonesia.

Abstract

Zirconia dioxide (ZrO2) is a semiconductor material which its photocatalytic properties for degradation of methylene blue has been done in our research. Herein, ultrasonic assisted during precipitation is used to increase the photocatalytic activity of ZrO2. ZrO2 is prepared from ZrCl4 solution by adding NaOH through precipitation method without ultrasonic assisted, and also with ultrasonic assisted for 1 h and 2 h. The specimens of ZrO2 are analyzed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The XRD of all ZrO2 samples showed that the smallest ZrO2 crystal size was 8.149 nm based on Debye-Scherrer calculations for ultrasonic time of 2 h. The lattice parameter of ZrO2 under tetragonal phase is analyzed using rietvield refinement by La Beil method. The specific surface area of all ZrO2 specimens are confirmed by BET which the results shows that ultrasonic time during precipitation along 2 h can increase the specific surface area of 99.741 m2/g when compared to without ultrasonic of 44.508 m2/g. The effect of ultrasonic assisted during precipitation can be increase the photocatalytic activity. The case shown that the degradation of methylene blue by ZrO2 with 2 h ultrasonic assisted is more high than ZrO2 of 1 h ultrasonic assisted and ZrO2 without ultrasonic assisted, i.e. 93.00 %, 88,32 % and 77.53 % respectively, at 120 min irradiation, pH of 10 and 0,05 g of ZrO2.

Keywords: ZrO2 nanoparticles, ultrasonic-assisted, precipitation, photocatalyst, methylene blue

Topic: Chemistry