Solar light responsive Sm-Zn ferrite nanoparticle as efficient photocatalyst

In this article, a series of Sm substituted zinc spinel ferrite nanoparticles (ZnSmxFe2-xO4) were fabricated by co-precipitation method. The effect of samarium substitution and annealing temperature on the crystal structure of zinc ferrite were explored in this study. The lattice parameter and crystallite size are increased with the increase in the Sm content. The visible light absorption ability extended as Sm content was increased up to (x = 1.5) and, which was the best optimal dosage for photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange (MO). This red shift in absorbance unequivocally indicates them as potential agent in solar light driven photocatalytic activity. Such enhancement can be ascribed to the diminution in the band gap of zinc ferrite upon samarium substitution (1.42 eV). Present study provides an excellent competency of rare earth substituted ferrite as a new class of photocatalyst over dye degradation under solar light irradiation.