Flake-shaped ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles: synthesis, characterisation and photocatalytic study

Abstract

Flake-shaped franklinite (ZnFe 2 O 4 ) nanoparticles were successfully prepared by using the co-precipitation method. The phase and crystallinity of the synthesised franklinite nanoparticles were studied by X-ray diffraction. The scanning electron microscopy results revealed that the flake-shaped entities were formed in combination with rod-shaped nanomaterial. The band gap of the synthesised franklinite nanoparticles was found to be ∼2.14 eV by ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements, indicating that this material absorbs visible light (λ max = 579.37 nm). The ferrite nanoparticles were successfully employed as a photocatalytic material for the degradation of the dye malachite green in an aqueous medium with ∼99% efficiency under visible light irradiation.