Preparation and photocatalytic activity of ZnO/Fe2O3 nanotube composites

• ZnO/Fe2O3 tubular structure was prepared via photochemical deposition at RT.
• The composites show a great improvement in photocatalytic characteristics.
• The possible reasons of photocatalytic performance of composites were researched.
• The formation mechanism of ZnO/Fe2O3 tubular structure was discussed.

Fe2O3 nanoparticles were grown on ZnO nanorods (NRs) to form ZnO/Fe2O3 nanotube (NT) composites via photochemical deposition under ultraviolet light irradiation at a room temperature. Fe3+ ions in the solution preferentially adhere to the metastable Zn-rich (0 0 0 1) polar surfaces in ZnO NRs, which leading to the formation of ZnO/Fe2O3 NTs. ZnO/Fe2O3 NT nanocomposites show a great improvement in photocatalytic characteristics compared with the bare ZnO NRs. It can be inferred that the enhanced photocatalytic performance of ZnO/Fe2O3 is benefit from the synergistic effect of ZnO and Fe2O3 semiconductors.