Facile synthesis of Zinc vanadate Zn3(VO4)2 for highly efficient visible light assisted photocatalytic activity

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 775; pp. 281 - 289
• Main Authors: Sajid, Muhammad Munir, Shad, Naveed Akthar, Khan, Sadaf Bashir, Zhang, Zhengjun, Amin, Nasir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-02-2019
• Subjects: Congo red (CR); Crystal violet (CV); Hydrothermal method; Nanoplates; Organic dyes; Photocatalysis; Zinc vanadate; Zinc vanadate; Nanoplates; Hydrothermal method; Photocatalysis; Crystal violet (CV); Congo red (CR); Organic dyes
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.10.134

Zinc Vanadate Zn3(VO4)2 nanoplates with width and thickness 300–500 nm and 50–75 nm diameter were synthesized by the facile modified hydrothermal method. Which containing mixing of Ammonia metavanadate (NH4VO3) powder with zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O), in the presence of CTAB and N, N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), the pH was adjusted around 5 and white precipitates were obtained. The potential of Zn3(VO4)2 photocatalyst was investigated by degrading Congo Red (CR) and Crystal Violet (CV) dyes using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. These Zinc vanadate nanoplates (ZnVO-Nps) showed enhanced dye removal (100%) due to reduced band gap 2.68eV and high surface area (84 m2/g). The Photoluminescence measurement showed the ZnVO-Nps potential for blue/green visible optical devices. These result showed that ZnVO-Nps have higher photocatalytic degradation due to the large surface area and porosity; it is proposed that the ZnVO-Nps demonstrated the high-level application for the degradation of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation.
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•First time Zn3(VO4)2 with nanoplates morphology reported for the degradation of dyes.•Zn3(VO4)2 nanoplates showed excellent visible light driven photocatalytic activity.•Crystal violet and Congo red dyes degraded within 60 and 150 mints, respectively.•Interface of catalyst and dye is a promising factor for photocatalytic degradation.•This method provides a simple and cost economical manufacturing process.