Preparation and characterization of ZnO–TiO2 nanocomposite for photocatalytic disinfection of bacteria and detoxification of cyanide under visible light

ZnO–TiO2 nanocomposite was prepared by modified ammonia-evaporation-induced synthetic method. It was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray, UV-visible diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopies. Incorporation of ZnO leads to visible light absorption, larger charge transfer resistance and lower capacitance. The nanocomposite effectively catalyzes the inactivation of E. coli under visible light. Further, the prepared nanocomposite displays selective photocatalysis. While its photocatalytic efficiency to detoxify cyanide with visible light is higher than that of TiO2 P25, its efficiency to degrade methylene blue, sunset yellow and rhodamine B dyes under UV-A light is less than that of TiO2 P25.

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► ZnO–TiO2 nanocomposite, obtained by modified ammonia-evaporation-induced synthetic method, absorbs visible light.
► ZnO–TiO2 nanoparticles catalyze bacteria disinfection and cyanide detoxification under sunlight.
► ZnO–TiO2 nanocomposite is selective in photocatalysis.