شهرزاد مسچيان مقدم

The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue is a crucial process for environmental remediation. However, the performance of zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) as a visible-light photocatalyst is often limited by its low surface area an‎d rapid electron-hole recombination. To overcome these limitations, we synthesized a new type of zinc ferrite/MXene (Ti₃C₂Tx) heterostructure via a co-precipitation method involving glycine as a surfactant, which significantly enhanced the crystallinity an‎d morphology of the zinc ferrite nanoparticles. The resulting composites, referred to as ZnFe₂O₄-MXene5, ZnFe₂O₄-MXene10, an‎d ZnFe₂O₄-MXene15 (corresponding to zinc ferrite with 5, 10, an‎d 15 wt% MXene, respectively), were thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, an‎d electrochemical techniques, revealing well-distributed MXene nanosheets across the zinc ferrite surface an‎d confirming the formation of an efficient heterojunction. The photocatalytic activity of the optimized ZnFe₂O₄-MXene10 composite was eva‎luated under visible light irradiation at varying pH levels. The ZnFe₂O₄-MXene10 composite achieved 82% degradation of methylene blue within 180 minutes at pH 10, representing a 65% improvement over pure zinc ferrite. The rate constant for ZnFe₂O₄-MXene10 (k = 0.0091 min⁻¹) was approximately 8.3 times higher than that of pure zinc ferrite (k = 0.0011 min⁻¹). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy an‎d photocurrent response measurements confirmed that the enhanced performance resulted from improved charge separation an‎d transfer efficiency at the established heterojunction interface. This stable an‎d highly efficient ZnFe₂O₄-MXene10 heterostructure offers a promising approach for sustainable wastewater treatment, demonstrating significant potential for practical industrial applications in organic pollutant remediation.

زينك فريت , مكسين , ناهمگون ساختار , متيلن بلو

Zinc ferrite , Mxene , Heterojunction , methylene blue

Shahrzad Messchian Moghadam

M.Hasheminiasari, SH.Razavi