Abstract
ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a co-precipitation decomposition method and their optical and photocatalytic properties were investigated. Their crystal structure and microstructures were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG)/differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The ZnCo2O4 nanocrystallites obtained were single-phase with an average size of 10-20 nm. The optical bandgap energies of the nanoparticles were estimated to be 3.39 and 2.09 eV from the UV-Vis absorption spectrum. The ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles exhibited high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye solution under visible light irradiation (λ＞420 nm). The photocatalytic activity of the ZnCo2O4 nanoparticles is attributed to their ability to absorb bandgap photons under UV and visible light as well as their nanoscale particle size. Based on these experimental results, a possible band structure of ZnCo2O4 is proposed.
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