Synthesis of Zinc-Copper-Iron(II, III) Oxide Nanocomposites and their Photocatalytic Efficiency for Crystal Violet Degradation

Abstract

The synthesis, characterization, and application of metal oxide nanocomposites have received increasing interest in the field of nanoscience and technology with several possible opportunities. Nanocomposites containing two or more dissimilar band gaps semiconductors provide exceptional properties to photocatalysts. A simple chemical co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize ZnO:CuO:Fe2O3 mixed metal oxide nanocomposites followed by calcination at 500 0 C. The prepared nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM. The FTIR and XRD spectra confirmed the characteristic vibrations of ferrite atoms along with Cu-O and Zn-O vibrations. The crystallite particle size calculated by Debye Scherrer formula matched the size obtained by SEM and TEM images. The photocatalytic efficiency of the ZnO:CuO:Fe2O3 nanocomposites was assessed using crystal violet dye in the presence of sunlight. Variation in the concentration of Cu with respect to zinc in the nanocomposites enhanced photodegradation efficiency in this investigation. Our results indicated that the variation in the composition of ternary nanocomposite catalysts influence the competence for dye removal from waste water.