Preparation of self-assembled N-Zn2GeO4 nanocomposite and their photocatalytic properties
Yanrong Lu, Riya Jin, Yina Qiao, Wenhui Liu, Kun Wang, Xiaojian Wang, Chaoqi Wang
Abstract
In this study, a nanorod-like N-doped Zn2GeO4 was prepared by a simple single-pot solvothermal method without template. Characterization techniques like powder scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) were used. The N-doped Zn2GeO4 have good UV light absorption properties. N- doping introduces doped energy levels into the energy band structure of Zn2GeO4, thus improving the photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic experiments showed that the degradation rate of rhodamine-B (RhB) with N-doped Zn2GeO4 (RN=1) photocatalyst was nearly 95% within 3 min; 2.5 times higher than that pure Zn2GeO4 photocatalyst. Additionally, the N-doped Zn2GeO4 hierarchical photocatalyst have excellent chemical stability in the photocatalytic performance stability tests. Investigations indicated that the main active species involved in the photodegradation of RhB in N-doped Zn2GeO4 are the superoxide radical ( . O - 2 ), while . OH and h + also play a role.