Superparamagnetic core/shell Fe2O3/ZnO nanosheets as photocatalyst cum bactericide

Core/shell Fe2O3/ZnO nanosheets have been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by high resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray and selected area electron diffractometries, Raman spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. The core/shell nanosheets are superparamagnetic and absorb strongly at 3.2 eV. Their emission is similar to that of pristine ZnO. The photocatalytic activity is far larger than that of Fe2O3 and is not less than that of ZnO. The nanosheets are reusable and photostable. Although the composite constitutes type-I core/shell band alignment the presence of Fe2O3 core does not suppress the photocatalytic activity. The lifetime of charge carriers in core/shell Fe2O3/ZnO does not differ significantly from that of ZnO. The bactericidal activity of Fe2O3/ZnO is larger than that of ZnO. Thus the synthesized composite nanosheets are magnetically recoverable efficient bactericide cum photocatalyst for environmental remediation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.