Carbon Nanodots from Frying Oil as Catalyst for Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Assisted Solar Light Irradiation

Abstract

Carbon nanodots (C-Dots) of frying oil could be a photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue solution with assisted solar light irradiation. C-Dots of frying oil were resulted from the heating process at T = 300C for 2 h. C-Dots of frying oil were used as a catalyst in methylene blue solution with variations the number of C-Dots and the time of solar light irradiation. The results of photocatalytic process show the degradation of concentration from methylene blue solution. It was observed from the color change of the solution and the absorbance intensity decreases with increasing time of photocatalytic process. FTIR spectra showed that the hydroxyl functional group -OH changes and more widened at wavenumber 3468 cm^-1 because the result of photocatytic process of methylene blue solution is water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Meanwhile, the intensity of the alkene functional group C = N at wavenumber 1650 cm^-1 decreased during the photocatalytic process. These results indicate that C-Dots of frying oil have an excellent potential to be developed as a photocatalyst materials.