Scientists Have Developed a Method for Industrial Production of Nanocomposites

09:25, September 15, 2021

These composites decolorize textile dyes and have antibacterial activity

Scientists from Ural Federal University and Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology (India) have developed the world's first method for the synthesis of quaternary nanocomposites based on zinc, lead, cadmium, and copper oxide (ZnO-PbO-CdO-CuO). The authors have patented the development in India (application number 202141032880).

"Metal oxide-based nanocomposites play an important role in various fields of chemistry, physics and materials science due to their attractive surface and electronic properties. More interestingly, the combination of one or more metal oxides can further enhance these properties in combination," says study co-author Rajesh Kumar Manavalan, a researcher in the Department of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials at UrFU.

The ZnO-PbO-CdO-CuO quaternary nanocomposite was first synthesized by a simple chemical method "in one vessel" and used for photocatalytic and antibacterial activity. This composite can be used to remove contaminating dyes and bacterial pathogens in water. According to the authors of the study, the composite structure showed excellent activity in both decolorizing multiple textile dyes and antibacterial activity due to the synergistic effect of the constituent metal oxides. The composites showed high stability sufficient for technical applications. The properties of the material did not change during the year of observation.

"The developed composite and the method used in this study open up new possibilities for research in wastewater treatment. New nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity could provide an alternative to existing industrial waste management," says Murugadoss Govindhasamy, professor at the Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology.