Mays B. Al Taee - Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Ban M. Al Shabander - Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq

In this paper, ZnO/TiO۲/cement nanocomposites were fabricated by a simple casting method with different concentrations of ZnO (۰, ۰.۴, ۰.۶, and ۰.۸ wt.%) and of TiO۲ (۰.۸, ۰.۴, ۰.۲, and ۰ wt.%). The aim of this study was to understand the effect of dye concentration (۵ and ۱۰ ppm) on the photo-catalytic activity of TiO۲/ZnO/cement nanocomposite. The samples of the synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The observed photocatalytic efficiency of the nanocomposites was investigated by decomposing the dye methylene blue in an aqueous solution under sunlight irradiation. (FE-SEM) image of the TiO۲/cement nanocomposite with ۰.۸ wt.% content was examined. It is clear that the TiO۲ nanoparticles were well attached to cement particles and they covered the cement surface the ZnO photocatalytic activity is apparently better than that of TiO۲ because ZnO exhibits greater electron mobility. According to the slope, the value of the k constant = ۰.۰۷۲۱ min-۱ for ZnO/TiO۲/cement nanocomposites (۰.۸ wt.%) at MB solution with ۵ppm concentration. The contact angle of TiO۲/cement (۰.۸ wt.%) was ۲۷.۱۱ because the cement is hydrophilic surface. However, the contact angle increased when ZnO added to TiO۲/cement.

ZnO TiO۲ nanoparticles Photo, catalytic Cement Self, Cleaning