| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64941 | Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical | 2015 | 9 Pages |
•Magnetic core–shell carbon microspheres (CMSs)@ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 photocatalyst was first fabricated.•Degradation efficiency and apparent rate constant of 2,4-DCP over the composite were enhanced.•Synergistic effect of CMSs, ZnFe2O4, Ag3PO4 contributes to the improved photocatalytic performance of the composite.•Possible pathway of the photoinduced carrier transfer and formation of the free radicals in the system were discussed.
Novel magnetic core–shell visible light responsive carbon microspheres (CMSs)@ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 composite photocatalyst with different mass ratios have been successfully synthesized through the solvothermal and in situ precipitation methods for the first time. The characteristics of the as-prepared materials were systematically determined by the XRD, XPS, SEM, FESEM-EDS, UV–vis DRS, VSM, and PL etc.; the results indicated that all of the composites showed good crystallinity and strong absorbance both in the UV and visible light regions. Moreover, a heterojunction structure was formed between the ZnFe2O4 and Ag3PO4. The photocatalytic performance of the composite was evaluated for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation, and enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability were achieved. When the mass ratio of CMSs, ZnFe2O4, and Ag3PO4 in the composite was 2:1:3, the apparent photodegradation rate constant of 2,4-DCP was 0.0184 min−1, which was 7.36 times that of ZnFe2O4, 2.45 times that of Ag3PO4, and 4 times that of CMSs@ZnFe2O4 (mass ratio = 2:1). And after four times recycling, the photodegradation efficiency of 2,4-DCP over the CMSs@ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 (mass ratio = 2:1:3) can even reach approximately 89%. The investigation of the photocatalytic mechanism suggested that both the effective separation of the photoinduced electron–hole pairs and the active free radicals formed in the special core-shell interface contributed to the superior photocatalytic performance of the composite.
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