Semester of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Masters in Chemical Sciences
Department
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Bharat Baruah
Second Advisor
Dr. Madalynn Marshall
Third Advisor
Dr. Mohammad Abdul Halim
Abstract
Photocatalysis offers a cost‑effective and environmentally friendly strategy for degrading organic pollutants and addressing energy and environmental challenges. This study initially explored MOF‑based cotton‑fabric‑supported ZnO nanorod composites but found that the MOF component primarily acted as an adsorbent rather than an effective photocatalyst. Consequently, MOF‑free composites were developed by directly growing ZnO nanorods on cotton fabric and functionalizing them with silver nanoparticles. Photocatalytic testing revealed that AgNP‑modified ZnO nanorods, particularly at 10 mM AgNP, exhibited superior dye degradation efficiency, thereby demonstrating a scalable and effective photocatalytic platform.