Synthesis of NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr) for Enhancement of the Photocatalytic Performance of Alizarin Yellow R Under Visible-light

In this study, NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr) composites were successfully prepared with different ratios of UiO-66(Zr) as support for NiFe2O4@AC, (1 : 1), (2 : 1) and (3 : 1) named NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-1, NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 and NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-3, respectively. The prepared composites were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance (UV-Vis/DRS) spectroscopy, PL (Photoluminescence) study. The synthesized composites ' efficiencies to enhance the photodegradation of alizarin yellow R (AYR) under visible-light were evaluated. The results identified that NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 is the most photoreactive photocatalyst with the lowest bandgap similar to 1.7 eV. NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 shows higher photodegradation efficiency (97.9 %) compared to NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-1 and NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-3 with photodegradation efficiency of 75.1 % and 89.9 %, respectively after 180 min under visible-light. The photodegradation reaction of AYR was found to be pseudo first-order reaction, and the rate constant (Ka) for NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-1, NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2, and NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-3 are 0.0072 min(-1), 0.0204 min(-1), and 0.0122 min(-1), consecutively. The effects of various conditions such as initial concentration and photocatalyst dose on the photodegradation of AYR were determined. The high photodegradation efficiency of NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 composite is because of the heterojunction and effective charge transfer between NiFe2O4@AC and UiO-66(Zr). NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 photocatalyst exhibits photocatalytic stability and reusability up to five cycles.

Automated summary

In this study, NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr) composites with different ratios of UiO-66(Zr) as support were successfully prepared and evaluated for their photodegradation efficiency of alizarin yellow R (AYR) under visible-light. NiFe2O4@AC/UiO-66(Zr)-2 exhibited the highest photoreactivity and the lowest bandgap, showing the highest photodegradation efficiency under visible-light.