Carbon nanospheres supported visible-light-driven ZnSb2O6: synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic degradation studies

Abstract

Carbon-based nanocomposites are gaining considerable attention due to their broad range of applicability in various fields, especially as photocatalysts. The present work demonstrates the impact of carbon nanospheres on photocatalytic efficiency of ZnSb 2 O 6 (ZSO), a UV active photocatalyst. Carbon nanospheres supported ZnSb 2 O 6 (CNSZSO) is synthesized by the hydrothermal method using glucose as a precursor. ZnSb 2 O 6 is prepared by metathesis method for the first time. As prepared samples are characterized by XRD, FESEM/EDS, FTIR, XPS, UV-Vis DRS. The samples are crystallized in the primitive tetragonal crystal lattice with space group P42/mnm as confirmed by XRD. The optical absorbance profile of CNSZSO showed a clear redshift of absorption edge towards visible region (400-800 nm) and also band gaps obtained from KM plots showed a decrease from 2.96 eV (ZSO) to 1.48 eV (CNSZSO). Further, photocatalytic degradation studies against methyl violet are investigated under visible light irradiation for the first time. The results suggest an enhancement in the degradation percentage by CNSZSO.