title: Magnetically recyclable Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/Zn0.95Ni0.05O nano-photocatalyst: structural, optical, magnetic and photocatalytic properties.
abstract: A novel visible light active and magnetically separable nanophotocatalyst, Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4/Zn0.95Ni0.05O (denoted as NZF@Z), with varying amount of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4, has been synthesized by egg albumen assisted sol gel technique. The structural, optical, magnetic, and photocatalytic properties have been studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) techniques. Powder XRD, TEM, FTIR and energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) analyses confirm coexistence of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 and Zn0.95Ni0.05O phases in the catalyst. Crystallite sizes of Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 and Zn0.95Ni0.05O in pure phases and nanocomposites, estimated from Debye-Scherrer equation, are found to be around 15-25 nm. The estimated particle sizes from TEM and FESEM data are ∼(22±6) nm. The calculated energy band gaps, obtained by Tauc relation from UV-Vis absorption spectra, of Zn0.95Ni0.05O, 15%NZF@Z, 40%NZF@Z and 60%NZF@Z are 2.95, 2.72, 2.64, and 2.54 eV respectively. Magnetic measurements (field (H) dependent magnetization (M)) show all samples to be super-paramagnetic in nature and saturation magnetizations (Ms) decrease with decreasing ferrite content in the nanocomposites. These novel nanocomposites show excellent photocatalytic activities on Rhodamin Dye.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qasim
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Andhra Pradesh, India; Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, ZHCET, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Khushnuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Asghar
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, ZHCET, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Braj Raj
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sateesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prathapani
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, ZHCET, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Wasi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, ZHCET, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202 002, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Naqvi
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Andhra Pradesh, India. Electronic address: ddse@uohyd.ernet.in.
authors.forename: Dibakar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002384:Catalysis; D002645:Chickens; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008027:Light; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D059346:Magnets / Q000737:chemistry; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D010782:Photolysis; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004527:Egg Proteins; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012235:Rhodamines; C000499:ferric oxide; D009532:Nickel; C028007:nickel monoxide; C029773:rhodamine B; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Magnetic property; Nanocomposite; Optical property; Photocatalysis; Structural property