Hydrothermal Assisted Synthesis of ZnFe2O4 Embedded g-C3N4 Nanocomposite with Enhanced Charge Transfer Ability for Effective Removal of Nitrobenzene and Cr(VI)

Abstract

A novel hybrid nanocomposite of g-C3N4/ZnFe2O4 was successfully prepared by a facile hydrothermal method followed by an annealing process. The obtain hybrid catalyst was systematically characterized by XRD, TEM, HRTEM, FT-IR, UV-DRS and XPS analysis in order to study the structural, morphological, optical properties and chemical states. The cubic phase ZnFe2O4 crystalline structure and spherical morphology with sizes in the range of 30–35 nm were adequately anchored on the g-C3N4 sheets. The HR-TEM image suggests the successful embedment of ZnFe2O4 nanostructures on g-C3N4 sheets. The photocatalytic activity of the catalyst was investigated using nitrobenzene (NB) and Cr (VI) under visible light. The improved activity of ZnFe2O4/ g-C3N4 is due to the synergetic effect of superior visible-light utilization and effective charge carrier separation between g-C3N4 and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles. Hence, this heterostructure could be used as a favorable applicant for environmental remediation application for the removal of organic pollutants and metal ions in practical application.