Abstract

Plumbonacrite films were used as support material for growth of carbon nanotubes and the resulting nanocomposite was tested as photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue dye. The plumbonacrite films were deposited on silicon substrates by a simple alkaline chemical bath deposition process. After the CNT growth process, the resulting nanocomposite samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The high temperature during the CNT growth process decomposed the plumbonacrite material into lead microspheres, which were covered by the CNT constituting the nanocomposite films. Afterwards, the nanocomposite films were applied for the photodegradation of methylene blue molecules using natural sunlight. The nanocomposite films were reused for up to three cycles obtaining efficiencies in the degradation of the dye superior to 92% and a first order kinetics with rate constants of 8.9 x 10(-3) min(-1) in a maximum irradiation time of 240minutes.