ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights industrial wastewater purification using nanocomposites based on metal oxide photocatalysts such as TiO2 and ZnO. It demonstrates the role of hyperbranched polymers in the adsorption of heavy metals either alone or as a matrix for photocatalyst. Hybrid materials are also described through blend hyperbranched polymers with linear polymers, to form semi-crystalline hybrid polymers. Water scarcity is a problem facing many societies, and although it is not a global problem, many countries face water shortage. Mineralization of water using the as-prepared nanocomposites has been realized by the chemical oxygen demand analysis. Many wastewater treatment facilities rely on biological systems that tend to be cheap and easy to operate. The use of different morphologies of metal oxides such as nanowires or nanorods enhances the photocatalytic activity due to the increased surface area. Metal oxides such as TiO2, ZnO, CeO2, CdS, and ZnS can be used as photocatalysts.
