PHOTOCATALYTIC

The green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has garnered substantial interest in recent years due to their promising applications in environmental remediation. This study presents the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles and calcium oxide-copper oxide binary nanoparticles utilizing onion (Allium cepa) peel extract for photocatalytic degradation of petroleum wastewater. CuO, and CaO – CuO nanoparticles were synthesized in this study following already established methods as reported in journals. Characterization of the synthesized nanoparticles was performed employing various analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized nanoparticles was systematically assessed for the degradation of petroleum wastewater under sunlight irradiation. Results indicated that the calcium oxide-copper oxide binary nanoparticles demonstrated significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the copper oxide nanoparticles, achieving a degradation efficiency of 95.76 %. This superior photocatalytic performance of the binary nanoparticles can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the p-n heterojunction between calcium oxide and copper oxide, which enhances spatial separation of photogenerated electron – hole pairs, thus improving the photodegradation of the wastewater. The green synthesis methodology employed in this study represents a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable approach for the production of metal oxide nanoparticles intended for environmental applications