Amino acid assisted-synthesis and characterization of magnetically retrievable ZnCo2O4-Co3O4 nanostructures as high activity visible-light-driven photocatalyst

Abstract

A novel and environment-friendly way to fabricate ZnCo₂O₄–Co₃O₄ nanostructures (ZC–C NSs) as highly efficacious visible light photocatalyst was developed with the aid of the amino acids as new kinds of fuel and stabilizers, for the first time. Role of the efficacious parameters like kind of amino acid and its amount on the morphological characteristics and performance of ZC–C NSs as visible light photocatalyst was explored. The outcomes demonstrated that alteration in the kind of amino acid and its amount could be beneficial and determinative for control over dimension, performance and shape of ZC–C. Characteristics of as-produced ZC–C NSs were explored with the variant techniques. The estimated band gap demonstrates that ZC–C NSs are able to be activated by employing visible light for decomposition of contaminants. The performance of as-produced ZC–C NSs with variant morphologies were estimated from the destruction of organic contaminant, acid blue 92, illuminated with the aid of visible light. This is the first endeavor on the examination of efficiency of ZnCo₂O₄–Co₃O₄ nanostructures (produced with the aid of the various amino acids) as visible light photocatalyst for destruction of acid blue 92. The outcomes illustrate that ZC–C NSs produced with the aid of Phenylalanine are able to manifest superior performance to degrade the organic contaminant, acid blue 92. Besides, usage of new kind of fuel and stabilizing agent (amino acid) may be leading to fabricate ZC–C NSs, which are efficiently able to remove the undesirable contaminant, and eventuating to diminution in the environmental pollution.