High visible-light photocatalytic performance of natural hematite ore composited with ZnO nanomaterials

¹Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), Wuhan, 430074, P. R. China

²Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geo Materials of Ministry of Education China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

Adv. Mater. Lett., 2017, 8 (4), pp 393-397

DOI: 10.5185/amlett.2017.7079

Publication Date (Web): Mar 14, 2017

Copyright © IAAM-VBRI Press

E-mail: wuyan@cug.edu.cn

Abstract

Natural hematite ore is used as a novel material for visible photocatalyst. The hematite was composited with needle-shaped ZnO via a hydrothermal approach. This hematite-based system exhibits excellent photodegradation for rhodamine (RhB) within 30 min when the hematite is hybridized with wurtzite -structured ZnO under visible light irradiation. The formation of a hybrid hetero-junction was shown by transmission electron microscope. The photocatalytic activity of the hetero-junction was evaluated by the photodegradation of RhB dye. The high photocatalytic activity observed under visible light is discussed on basis of the coupling of the hybrid hetero-junction band structure. 

Keywords

Natural hematite, needle-shaped ZnO, hybrid hetero-structure, photocatalyst.