Tailoring CdSe nanoparticles at different pH levels for improved methylene blue photodegradation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Chemistry

Background:

• Semiconductor nanoparticles offer unique properties for environmental remediation.
• Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) quantum dots are promising photocatalysts due to their tunable electronic properties.
• Wastewater treatment remains a critical global challenge requiring efficient pollutant degradation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize CdSe nanoparticles using a pH-controlled precipitation method.
• To investigate the influence of pH on nanoparticle characteristics and photocatalytic performance.
• To evaluate the efficiency and reusability of CdSe quantum dots for methylene blue degradation.

Main Methods:

• Precipitation synthesis of CdSe nanoparticles with varying precursor pH.
• Characterization using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and FTIR.
• Photocatalytic degradation experiments using methylene blue under visible light.

Main Results:

• XRD confirmed crystallite sizes of 3-5 nm, increasing with pH.
• TEM revealed spherical, agglomerated particles ranging from 3-15 nm.
• Achieved 91% methylene blue degradation efficiency with good reusability over three cycles.

Conclusions:

• pH-dependent synthesis effectively controls CdSe nanoparticle properties.
• CdSe quantum dots exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity and stability for wastewater treatment.
• This method offers an economical and efficient approach for environmental remediation using semiconductor photocatalysts.