Novel ZnO-biochar nanocomposites obtained by hydrothermal method in extracts of Ulva lactuca collected from Black Sea

The aqueous extract of Ulva lactuca, obtained from algae waste, has been used both as precursor for nanobiochar and source of phycocolloids, for obtaining of ZnO@C composites by hydrothermal method, through two synthesis routes, and capped ZnO nanopowders. The nanomaterials were characterized by XRD, SEM, thermal analysis, UV-vis, PL and FTIR spectroscopy. The presence of ZnO with hexagonal wurtzite structure was confirmed by XRD, while the presence of biochar and capping molecules was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis correlated with the total organic carbon determination. The band gap energy was calculated from diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic properties were tested in the degradation of Congo red azo dye under UV and visible light irradiations, the prepared zinc oxide-biochair nanocomposites demonstrating a good photocatalytic activity, superior to the pristine ZnO nanopowders obtained in similar conditions. The results confirmed a good fit with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model. A correlation between photoluminescent and photocatalytic properties of nanomaterials was done. The properties of ZnO@C nanocomposites depended on the synthesis route were compared with those of capped and pristine ZnO samples.