Synergistic Enhancement of Photocatalytic and Antifungal Activities in Microwave‐Assisted ZnO/Fe‐Doped Bi₂O₃ Nanocomposites

Abstract

Herein, the successful synthesis of ZnO/Fe‐doped Bi2O3 nanocomposite through a microwave‐assisted coprecipitation method is reported. The fabricated materials are comprehensively characterized using X‐ray diffraction, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis, UV–vis, vibrating sample magnetometer, and photoluminescence techniques. The results of the investigation unveil a reduction in crystalline size, a low bandgap of 1.7 eV, and notable improvements in magnetization and surface area (50.63 m2 g−1) upon the incorporation of ZnO and Fe doping into Bi2O3. Remarkably, the ZnO/5% Fe‐doped Bi2O3 composite demonstrates 86.34% degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye within 60 min. Furthermore, this composite exhibits significant antifungal activity, as evidenced by a zone of inhibition diameter of 20 mm against Aspergillus flavus. Ongoing studies are investigating the impact of pH, inorganic ions, scavenger mechanisms, and MB degradation. These findings underscore the synergistic effects of ZnO and Fe, which enhance the absorption of photons that decrease the recombination rate and increase the charge transfer of Bi2O3, contributing to the improved material properties of the ZnO/5% Fe‐doped Bi2O3 composite. This study paves the way for further exploration of the multifunctional properties of ZnO/Fe‐doped Bi2O3 nanocomposites in diverse environmental and biomedical applications.

Facile Preparation of Magnetically Separable Fe3O4/ZnO Nanocomposite with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity for Degradation of Rhodamine B

“…However, the utilization of ZnO was not fulfilled due to its higher bandgap of ~3.3 eV [ 24 , 25 ], resulting in ZnO only absorbing 5% of the solar energy in UV light and exhibiting low degradation activity for organic pollutants [ 1 ], which limited its practical applications [ 26 , 27 ]. To overcome this drawback and improve the catalytic efficiency, an effective strategy is to utilize metal oxide particles including metal doping, constructing heterojunctions, or nanocomposites to tune the electronic structure of the host, thereby reducing the band gap [ 8 , 10 , 11 , 28 , 29 ]. Considering that semiconductor-based nanocomposite photocatalytic technologies can break down many kinds of pollutants into nontoxic molecules at room temperature and pressure economically, they are regarded as an effective technique for pollutant degradation due to synergistic effects [ 10 , 28 ].…”

“…To overcome this drawback and improve the catalytic efficiency, an effective strategy is to utilize metal oxide particles including metal doping, constructing heterojunctions, or nanocomposites to tune the electronic structure of the host, thereby reducing the band gap [ 8 , 10 , 11 , 28 , 29 ]. Considering that semiconductor-based nanocomposite photocatalytic technologies can break down many kinds of pollutants into nontoxic molecules at room temperature and pressure economically, they are regarded as an effective technique for pollutant degradation due to synergistic effects [ 10 , 28 ]. In composite materials, the presence of impurities and defects caused by the dopants within the forbidden band results in a decrease in band gap energy and a lower carrier recombination rate.…”

“…In composite materials, the presence of impurities and defects caused by the dopants within the forbidden band results in a decrease in band gap energy and a lower carrier recombination rate. This allows a higher number of photogenerated electrons and holes to facilitate the decomposition of pollutant molecules, ultimately enhancing the catalytic activity of nanocomposites [ 28 ]. The other key problems with photocatalysts are recoverability and reusability, which lead to significant financial losses and pollution due to the laborious recovery process, impeding the commercialization of photocatalytic technology [ 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”