High Photocatalytic Performance in the Photodegradation of MB Dye of Photocatalytic Efficiency of ZnO/Fe۳O۴ and TiO۲/Fe۳O۴ Under Visible Light Irradiation

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanorods and titanium dioxide (TiO۲) nanostructures thin films were prepared onto glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The ZnO was structured as nanorods (NRs) while TiO۲ was formed as nanoflowers plate as confirmed by Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images. The ZnO/Fe۳O۴ and TiO۲/Fe۳O۴ nanostructures thin films were prepared via drop-casting Fe۳O۴ NPs onto the grown ZnO and TiO۲ nanostructures thin films. The diameter of Fe۳O۴ NPs was deposited onto ZnO NRs thin films and TiO۲ nanostructures thin films was ranged from ۸nm to ۵۹nm with dominated range between ۱۰nm to ۳۰ nm.  The crystalline structure of prepared samples was investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. However, the particles size of Fe۳O۴  was estimated  by XRD as well as FESEM images was around ۲۲ nm. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared ZnO/Fe۳O۴ and TiO۲/Fe۳O۴ nanostructures thin films was investigated against methylene blue (MB) dye at room temperature with a pH value of ۱۰ under different exposure time by visible light. The photodegradation rate of MB dye by ZnO/Fe۳O۴ and TiO۲/Fe۳O۴ nanostructures thin films was higher than that obtained by ZnO and TiO۲ nanostructures thin films. The best photodegradation rate of MB dye was ۱۰۰% after exposure time of ۱۸۰ min was obtained by ZnO/Fe۳O۴ nanostructures thin film whereas it was ۸۲% for TiO۲/Fe۳O۴ nanostructures thin films after exposure time of  ۲۴۰ min.

Keywords:

ZnO/Fe۳O۴ , TiO۲ /Fe۳O۴ , core/shell , photocatalysis , MB dye.