Kinetic evaluation of ZnO/TiO2 thin film photocatalyst in photocatalytic degradation of Orange G

The ZnO/TiO2 solution of the thin-film photocatalyst was prepared by using the sol-gel method. The prepared solution was coated on a quartz plate by using the dip-coating method. For the characterization of synthesized ZnO/TiO2 photocatalyst, SEM-EDS, XRD and chronoamperometry measurements were used. To determine photocatalytic activity and kinetic model studies, the degradation of Orange G dye which is frequently used in the textile industry on ZnO/TiO2 photocatalyst was investigated. Using the results of kinetic experiments by examining the effects of different initial dye concentrations, temperature and light intensities, the degradation of Orange G dye on ZnO/TiO2 photocatalyst was found to be in accordance with the Network Kinetic Model, and the calculated equilibrium constant and activation energies of the ZnO/TiO2 thin film photocatalyst are 20.02 and 16.16 kJ/mol, respectively. •In this study, we synthesized ZnO/TiO2 thin films using the sol-gel method.•The thin films produced were used in the kinetic model studies of the Orange G dyestuff.•In the photocatalytic decomposition trials of Orange G, dye concentration, light and temperature parameters were used.•The calculated activation energy for the degradation of Orange G over ZnO/TiO2 thin film photocatalyst is 13.75 kJ/mol.