Morphology convenient flower like nanostructures of CdO-SiO2 nanomaterial and its photocatalytic application

Highly efficient CdO-SiO2 nanomaterial was synthesized by Sol-gel method and sonication technique. The nanomaterial was characterized by Field-emission Scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with elementary dispersive X-ray (EDX), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and Ultraviolet-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of CdO-SiO2 nanomaterial was studied from the photodegradation of Rh B as it has maximum efficiency at pH = 7 under UV-light irradiation at 365 nm. The photodegradation of dye various Catalyst loading and dye concentration is parameters have been studied. The hydroxyl radical formation in the mechanism was confirmed by fluorescence quenching technique. The mineralization of dye is confirmed by chemical oxygen demand measurements. An achievable mechanism is proposed for higher activity of CdO-SiO2 under UV-light at 365 nm. This catalyst was found to be stable and reusable.