Ferromagnetic nickel(II) imidazole-anatase framework: An enhanced photocatalytic performance

•We successfully investigated the nickel(II) complex ion deposited anatase composites.•The room temperature VSM measurement shows the ferromagnetic nature.•The interesting correlation observed between optical, ferromagnetic and photocatalytic properties.•This study opens up a general method for facile synthesis of other related composites.

Nickel(II) imidazole-anatase composites with room temperature ferromagnetism and good photocatalytic activity were prepared by a simple adsorption method using [Ni(1-MeIm)6]Cl2·H2O complex and anatase TiO2 as starting materials in aqueous medium. The deposition of the surface species were elucidated by various conventional techniques. Ferromagnetic behavior was observed from vibrating sample magnetometer at room temperature. This composite has good visible light absorption ability than pristine TiO2. The adsorption and photocatalytic activity of the composite catalysts were evaluated by choosing methylene blue (MB) as organic pollutant under visible light irradiation. We first time report the Ni(II)-imidazole complex deposited on the anatase semiconductor with good photocatalytic and magnetic properties. This is expected to open up a general method for the synthesis of other transition metal loaded metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts.

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