Photoassisted Degradation Of Rhodamine B Using Poly(Epsilon-Caprolactone) Based Nanocomposites: Mechanistic And Kinetic Features

The efficiency of poly (epsilon-caprolactone)-cloisite 10A nanocomposite membrane in removing/degrading of an amphoteric dye (rhodamine B) from aqueous samples under visible light is investigated in detail. Nanocomposite membranes were prepared by electrospinning technique using acetone-chloroform mixture as solvent. The synthesized nanocomposites were used to degrade rhodamine B from aqueous samples under visible light conditions using a 50 W light-emitting diode lamb. Samples were withdrawn at definite intervals of 30 min and analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy, LC-Q-ToF/MS-MS, and antibacterial studies. Detailed chemistry of the rhodamine B degradation is reported by interpreting experimental results and using first-principles density functional theory calculations. Cytotoxicity tests confirm the eco-friendly nature of end product obtained. Nanocomposite with 9 wt% of cloisite 10A, effectively converts rhodamine B to eco-friendly products within almost 3 h. To the best of our knowledge, no work has been reported on the use of poly(epsilon-caprolactone)-cloisite 10A nanocomposites for dye removal from water samples.