Preparation and Spectrochemical characterization of Ni-doped ZnS nanocomposite for effective removal of emerging contaminants and hydrogen Production: Reaction Kinetics, mechanistic insights

Fabrication of Ni-doped ZnS nanostructures towards effective elimination of contaminants and H2 production. [Display omitted] •A sustainable approach utilizing ethanolic crude extract of Avena fatua was adopted for the synthesis of Ni-doped ZnS nanocomposite.•Comprehensive characterization of synthesized materials was performed using various techniques including SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR, and AFM.•Exceptional photocatalytic activity of Ni-doped ZnS nanocomposite was demonstrated through rapid degradation of Methyl orange dye ∼ 90 %.•High hydrogen production rate 167.73 µmolg-1h−1, indicating the potential for efficient wastewater treatment and hydrogen generation. In this study, we report the successful synthesis of Ni-doped ZnS nanocomposite via a green route using ethanolic crude extract of Avena fatua. The as-synthesized nanocomposite was comprehensively characterized using Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta potential, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). These analyses provided detailed insights into the size, morphology, composition, surface properties, and structural characteristics of the nanocomposite. Subsequently, the synthesized nanocomposite was evaluated for their photocatalytic performance against the organic dye Methyl orange. Remarkably, the nanocomposite exhibited rapid and efficient degradation of Methyl orange, achieving 90 % degradation within only 30 min of irradiation under UV light. Moreover, the photocatalyst demonstrated an exceptional hydrogen production rate, reaching 167.73 µmolg-1h−1, which is approximately 4.5 times higher than that of its pristine counterparts. These findings highlight the significant potential of Ni-doped ZnS nanocomposite as highly efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment and hydrogen production applications.