Zn-Al layered double hydroxide loaded polyurethane foam nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of textile...

This study introduces a novel multifunctional nanocomposite fabricated by impregnating Zinc-Aluminum Layered Double Hydroxide (Zn-Al LDH) nanoparticles into a polyurethane (PU) foam matrix at varying concentrations (0.2 g, 0.6 g, and 1.0 g) to facilitate the efficient removal of organic pollutants. The structural and morphological properties of the synthesized Zn-Al LDH were characterized using XRD, FESEM, and UV-Visible spectroscopy, while the resulting loaded PU foam was analyzed using FTIR, SEM-EDAX, bulk density, and sol fraction to confirm successful integration and stability. Performance evaluations conducted under UV irradiation revealed that while pure Zn-Al LDH nanoparticles achieved 98% degradation rates for methyl violet, the hybrid nanocomposite reached a superior degradation efficiency of approximately 99%. This enhanced performance is attributed to a potent synergistic effect wherein the porous PU foam serves as an effective adsorbent to concentrate the dye molecules, while the embedded Zn-Al LDH nanoparticles simultaneously drive photocatalytic degradation, ensuring near-complete remediation of the aqueous synthetic solution.