Sweety, salty, sour, and romantic biochar-supported ZnO: highly active composite catalysts for environmental remediation

The present work focuses on valorizing the various biochar supports of nano-catalysts and investigates the effect of the type of the initial biomass on the deposition and salient physico-chemical features of the zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles. In this regard, we have used four different biomasses, namely, sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum officinarum), algae (Phaeophyta), mandarin orange peels (Citrus reticulata), and China rose petals (Rosa chinensis) as sources of biochar. Their wet impregnation with zinc acetate was followed by pyrolysis at 500 °C. It led to biochar (nicknamed “sweety,” “salty,” “sour,” and “romantic” biochar, respectively) loaded with very well dispersed, 20–360 nm-sized (mostly) ZnO nanoparticles. Interestingly, depending on the type of biomass used, the size, shape (quartz-like, semi-spherical, spherical, semi-cauliflower, needle or rod-like), and degree of crystallinity of ZnO nanoparticles (hexagonal crystal system) vary, in spite of all other synthesis parameters being similar. Nanoparticle-induced graphitization and crystallization of biochar have been also observed by Raman spectroscopy. The malachite green dye mineralization efficiency in the presence of H₂O₂ and different biochar-supported ZnO nanocatalysts was 15.1%, 46.3%, 99.9%, 67.9%, and 66.4% for H₂O₂, china rose petals, algae, mandarin peels, and sugarcane bagasse-supported ZnO catalyst in the presence of H₂O₂, respectively. Malachite green removal fits in very well with a pseudo-first-order kinetic model with R ² = 0.9701 (at algae biochar-ZnO). 6.6 times enhancement in the mineralization efficiency is observed as compared to just H₂O₂. The recyclability test of algae biochar impregnated with ZnO after 5 cycles indicates the mineralization efficiency levels up to 81.4%. Beyond these scientific results, this work is based on the principle of biomass waste valorization for sustainable development and circular economy, on the one hand, and addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals 6, 13, and 14, on the other hand. It is also very clear that biochar is the new romance in the field of materials science and for sustainable future. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].