Facile room temperature synthesis of ZIF-67 for efficient photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under sunlight irradiation

In the modern era, the contamination of the environment by heavy metals poses a significant peril due to their highly toxic properties. This study centers on the Metal–Organic Framework ZIF-67, synthesized under room temperature conditions, and assesses its efficacy in breaking down methylene blue in aqueous solutions. The synthesized compound was characterized by various techniques including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–visible), Photoluminescent spectroscopy (PL), Thermo gravimetric/Differential thermo gravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller surface area analysis (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The degradation of methylene blue in the aqueous medium in the presence of ZIF-67 photocatalyst was monitored utilizing UV–visible spectroscopy. Additionally, the surface area, pore diameter, and N₂ adsorption capacities of ZIF-67 as an adsorbent were evaluated through BET sorption analysis. In the presence of ZIF-67, the maximum degradation efficiency of 80% is attained within 180 min. Remarkably, the photocatalyst maintains its degradation efficiency across four consecutive cycles, indicating its robust and enduring effectiveness. The findings suggest that ZIF-67 demonstrates superior photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue, hinting at its potential as an effective remedy for environmental remediation.