3D chitosan/GO/ZnO hydrogel with enhanced photocorrosion-resistance and adsorption for efficient removal of typical water-soluble pollutants

With high toxicity and solubility, traditional treatment methods are almost ineffective for treating water-soluble pollutants. In this work, an environmentally friendly chitosan/graphene oxide/zinc oxide (chitosan/GO/ZnO, CGZ) three-dimensional (3D) network structure hydrogel was facilely prepared. The hydrogel with high adsorption improves the mass transfer efficiency of pollutant molecules and blocks the direct contact between ZnO and water, improving the photocorrosion-resistance of traditional ZnO photocatalyst. The 3D hydrogel structure is stable and recyclable, which has a degradation rate of 86.5% after four consecutive experiments. The CGZ hydrogel provides an alternative route for the practical application in removal of other water-soluble pollutants.