Visible-light-driven ZnFe2O4/Ag/Ag3VO4 photocatalysts with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Abstract A novel visible-light driven ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 photocatalyst was successfully fabricated through a two-step hydrothermal method. The structure, morphology and composition of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-prepared ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composites possessed an excellent performance in the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange and tetracycline under visible-light irradiation. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicated that the ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composite could facilitate the separation of photo-generated carriers, as well as accelerated charge transfer. The 5% ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 composite exhibited the upmost photocatalytic activity, the degradation constant of 5% ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 is as high as 1.49 times to that of Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 . Also, according to the trapping experiments, it’s found that the superoxide radicals ( O 2 − ) and hole (h + ) were the predominant reactive species in this system. The ZnFe 2 O 4 /Ag/Ag 3 VO 4 photocatalyst is promising for designing as an environmental purification material in treatment of antibiotic pollutant.