Role of ZnO on nylon 6 surface and the photocatalytic efficiency of methylene blue for wastewater treatment

Nylon 6 and its modification as a compound have been employed in several applications such as in the textile industry. To gain effectiveness in textile applications, nylon 6's self-cleaning and antibacterial properties were modified. ZnO was successfully synthesized using a wet chemical synthetic procedure. The thermal decomposition of the ZnO precursor was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. The calcination temperature was set to be 500-1000 degrees C for 2 h. Decomposition products of the organic phase were removed at temperatures ranging from 300 to 500 degrees C. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed the single phase of ZnO and the variable-sized hexagonal-shaped cross-section, respectively. With incremental increases in the calcination temperature, there was no residue from char, and agglomeration of the ZnO increased. The ZnO was dispersed in methanol and subsequently spin-coated onto a nylon 6 surface. The efficiency of ZnO coating on the nylon 6 surface was investigated by the photocatalytic activity of methylene blue degradation. The apparent rate constant was estimated to be 0.5 by the Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO coated on nylon 6 exhibited excellent performance for wastewater treatment in the textile industry.