Najran, November 21, 2023, The Advanced Materials and Nano-Research Centre (AMNRC) at Najran University has secured an international patent issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a novel method of manufacturing a photocatalyst. This photocatalyst, composed of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) doped with polypyrrole (PPy) and decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), is designed for the efficient treatment and purification of water contaminated with the insecticide imidacloprid and methylene blue dye under visible light.
Dr. Jari Algethami, Director of AMNRC, highlighted the success of synthesizing the Au@PPy/g-C3N4 ternary photocatalyst through a cost-effective and highly effective chemical methodology. The newly developed photocatalyst demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic performance under visible light, outperforming the bare g-C3N4 photocatalyst. It achieved a remarkable photodegradation ability with 96.0% removal of the target insecticide imidacloprid in just 25 minutes, along with highly effective activity against methylene blue dye molecules.
Dr. Algethami emphasized the high stability of the photocatalyst, maintaining the same activity after repeated use for five cycles. This innovative applied technological work in the field of visible light photocatalysis offers a promising solution to current challenges in treating and purifying water contaminated with various organic pollutants. The achievement is expected to benefit society by addressing environmental issues associated with the release of such pollutants into the environment.
