The highly efficient green synthesis of nanostructured ZnFe2O4 photocatalysts by using Ziziphus mauritiana and Salvadora persica extracts for the photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet in sunlight

Abstract

The current study is aimed to investigate the photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet dyes solution in the presence of modified ZnFe2O4 photocatalysts by Ziziphus mauritiana and Salvadora persica extracts in sunlight. Regardless of the extracts used, the modified ZnFe2O4 catalysts demonstrated excellent photocatalytic degradation. However, the catalysts modified using Salvadora persica extract achieved superior photocatalytic degradation of crystal violet dye. ZnFe2O4 with Salvadora persica yielded smaller particles with a larger surface area, smaller band gap energy and a better distribution of differently sized particles than by using Ziziphus mauritiana. This photocatalyst also demonstrated stability, being able to be reused at least five times with minimal loss of catalytic ability, falling from 91% at the first iteration to 85% by the fifth reuse. These materials were prepared easily using an environmentally friendly method.