Preparation and Photocatalytic Activity of Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs)/ZnFe₂O₄

Abstract:

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposites were prepared by a colloidal deposition (CD) method. The as-prepared AuNPs/ZnFe₂O₄ nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectrum (EDS). XRD results showed that the diffraction peaks of AuNPs gradually increased with the increase of AuNPs content. SEM observations revealed that the AuNPs were presented as regular nanoparticles on the ZnFe₂O₄ in all the composites. With the increase in Au content, the amount of AuNPs deposited on ZnFe₂O₄ surface increased. EDS element analysis indicated that the actual content of AuNPs in nanocomposites was consistent with its preset value before preparation by CD method. An active dye, Methyl Orange (MO), was employed as the target pollutant to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of AuNPs/ZnFe₂O₄ under UV irradiation. The photocatalytic evaluation showed that MO discoloration ratio could reach 72.17% when the nanocomposite with AuNPs content of 5 wt.% was used as the photocatalyst. Finally, the possible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnFe₂O₄ by AuNPs was proposed.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 618)
• Pages: 198-202
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.618.198
• Online since: August 2014
• Authors: Shu Yan Qi*, Ming Chen, Xiao Hu Liu, Huan Yan Xu
• Keywords: AuNPs/ZnFe₂O₄, Colloidal Deposition, Methyl Orange, Nanocomposite Photocatalytyst

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