Superior photocatalytic activity of polyester fabrics coated with zinc oxide from waste hot dipping zinc

ZnO nanoparticles derived from waste hot dipping zinc as the zinc precursor has been successfully coated on polyester fabric waste (PFW) to form a new photoactive system, ZnO/PFW, by using an aqueous heat attachment method without addition of protective layer, binder, or any chemical auxiliaries. The ZnO film is formed on the fiber surface, and therefore is not susceptible to cracking. The ZnO/PFW exhibits considerable photocatalytic activity for decomposition of methylene blue under UV light. The excellent photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/PFW is mainly attributed to high crystallinity of the ZnO nanoparticles and ability of the ZnO nanoparticles to produce highly oxidative valence band hole and hydroxyl radical. The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/PFW can be maintained upon several cycles. All these results are strong indications of the potential use of the ZnO/PFW as stable, effective and feasible photocatalyst for decomposition of recalcitrant organic contaminant. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.