Obtenção de nanomateriais fotoativos derivados de biomassa regional

Abstract

In recent years it has been intensifying as research in the direction of obtaining derivatives of renewable materials, among them has been highlight the Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL). In parallel, Nanotechnology has turned its attention to the development of nanomaterials that aim at the generation of energy and the efficient use of sunlight. The present work involves the synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of new photoactive nanomaterials obtained through the combination of meso-porphyrins derived from CNSL and ZnO nanostructures. The nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and transmission (TEM), Infrared Spectroscopy, Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and Luminescence. The results showed that the nanomaterials presents an average size of 55 nm and an improved absorption of the visible region, besides being able to decrease the recombination of the photogenerated charges. The photocatalytic potential of the samples was verified by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under irradiation of visible light (208 W/m2) and natural sunlight (530 W/m2). The results showed that the photocatalytic activities of ZnO-H2Pp and ZnO-CuPp nanomaterials were more efficient when compared to pure ZnO, reaching almost complete removal (98%) of Rhodamine B under sunlight irradiation, indicating that the presence of porphyrins is key to increase the efficiency of the process. Finally, it has been shown that obtaining of photoactive nanomaterials from biomass represents an interesting alternative to eliminate toxic waste from water, contributing to the conservation of the environment.