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Type-II heterojunction-based magnetic ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 photocatalyst for photodegradation of toxic dyes from wastewater

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Abstract

Fabrication of a Type-II heterojunction has been deliberated as a particular strategy to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of semiconductor photocatalysts to eliminate organic contaminants. The present study represents a unique recyclable Type-II-based ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 heterojunction synthesized via facile coprecipitation technique. The as-prepared samples were characterized via XRD, FTIR, SEM, XRD, TEM, UV–Vis DRS, VSM, XPS, and PL studies. The comparative photocatalytic performance of ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 heterojunction and pristine CuFe2O4, ZnFe2O4 was examined for removal of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under visible light. The core–shell construction imparts reusability via magnetic retrieval, and SiO2 acted as an effective host for the ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4 photocatalyst. The degradation efficacy of MB over ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 heterojunction reached 98.6% after 70 min under visible light radiation. Photocatalytic results also demonstrated that hybrid heterojunction owns about 9.3 times greater photocatalytic activity than bare CuFe2O4 and 5.47 times higher than bare ZnFe2O4 nanocomposite. The mechanism evaluation indicated that accelerated photocatalytic performance was allied with SiO2 mediated hybrid, directing to a remarkable separation of electron–hole pairs and high redox proficiency in photocatalysis. Moreover, the ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 junction displayed broad pH compliance, exceptional magnetic recyclability, and good photo-stability. In conclusion, a probable degradation pathway of MB over ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 heterojunction was anticipated through regulated degradation intermediates. The present portrays a comprehension of the construction of favorable and novel ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 heterojunction for various environmental applications.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP-2021/6), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arab. Dr. Quyet Van Le was supported by Brain Pool Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Grant Number 2020H1D3A1A04081409).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Advanced Chemical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173212, India

    Sonu, Sheetal Sharma, Vishal Dutta, Pankaj Raizada & Pardeep Singh

  2. Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute, Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, 462026, India

    Archana Singh

  3. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Tansir Ahamad

  4. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea

    Quyet Van Le

  5. Chettinad Hospital and Research Institute, Chettinad Academy of Research and Education (CARE), Kanchipuram District, Kelambakkam, Tamil Nadu, 603103, India

    Van-Huy Nguyen

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  1. Sonu
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  2. Sheetal Sharma
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  3. Vishal Dutta
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  4. Pankaj Raizada
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  8. Quyet Van Le
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  9. Van-Huy Nguyen
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Correspondence to Pardeep Singh or Van-Huy Nguyen.

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Sonu, Sharma, S., Dutta, V. et al. Type-II heterojunction-based magnetic ZnFe2O4@CuFe2O4@SiO2 photocatalyst for photodegradation of toxic dyes from wastewater. Appl Nanosci 13, 3693–3707 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13204-022-02500-y

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