Hydrothermal Assisted Synthesis of ZnFe <sub>2</sub> O <sub>4</sub> Embedded g‐C <sub>3</sub> N <sub>4</sub> Nanocomposite with Enhanced Charge Transfer Ability for Effective Removal of Nitrobenzene and Cr(VI)
S. Shanavas, Tansir Ahamad, Saad M. Alshehri, Roberto Acevedo, P. M. Anbarasan
Abstract
Abstract A novel hybrid nanocomposite of g‐C 3 N 4 /ZnFe 2 O 4 was successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method followed by an annealing process. The obtain hybrid catalyst was systematically characterized by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, FT‐IR, UV‐DRS and XPS analysis in order to study the structural, morphological, optical properties and chemical states. The cubic phase ZnFe 2 O 4 crystalline structure and spherical morphology with sizes in the range of 30–35 nm were adequately anchored on the g‐C 3 N 4 sheets. The HR‐TEM image suggests the successful embedment of ZnFe 2 O 4 nanostructures on g‐C 3 N 4 sheets. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was investigated using nitrobenzene (NB) and Cr (VI) under visible light. The improved activity of ZnFe 2 O 4 / g‐C 3 N 4 is due to the synergetic effect of superior visible‐light utilization and effective charge carrier separation between g‐C 3 N 4 and ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. Hence, this heterostructure could be used as a favorable applicant for environmental remediation application for the removal of organic pollutants and metal ions in practical application.