Synthesis and Characterization of Ferrite-Semiconductor Nano Composite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Aqueous Nitrobenzene Solution

Nanoparticles of semiconductor TiO2, zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) and ZnFe2O4-TiO2 composite, were synthesized by auto combustion route. Subsequent characterization of synthesized photocatalysts was carried out by X-ray powder diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis-Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy to study the structural and textural properties. The specific surface area, pore diameter and pore volume of synthesized materials were investigated by N-2 adsorption analysis while the presence of TiO2 in the composite material was verified by infrared spectral analysis. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized photocatalysts was militated by degradation of nitrobenzene (NB) in aqueous medium under irradiation of ultraviolet light. The result revealed that 77, 73 and 70% of NB was degraded using TiO2 Zn-Fe2O4 and ZaFe(2)O(4)-TiO2 photocatalysts after 4h in the presence of -UV irradiation. The composite photocatalyst was found easy to separate from the treated solution.