Oxygen‐Vacancies‐Induced Enhancement in Photocatalystic Performance of Sea Urchin‐Like Fe3O4@ZnO Hollow Core–Shell Structures

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 218; no. 21
• Main Authors: Yang, Shuo, Pan, Mengqu, Chen, Jiayou, Wang, Lili, Guo, Chenzi, Han, Donglai, Yang, Lili
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2021
• Subjects: Argon; Core-shell structure; Degradation; Efficiency; hollow core–shell heterostructures; Iron oxides; magnetic responses; photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; recyclability; Synergistic effect; Vacancies; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.202100421

A novel sea urchin‐like Fe3O4@ZnO (S‐FZ) hollow core–shell photocatalyst is developed, which achieves about fourfold higher photocatalystic degradation efficiency (84.4%) than the waxberry‐type Fe3O4@ZnO (W‐FZ) photocatalyst due to its larger specific surface area. After postannealing at different temperatures under argon atmosphere, the photocatalystic degradation efficiency of S‐FZ is effectively improved. When the annealing temperature is 500 °C, the degradation efficiency of S‐FZ hollow core–shell structures is further improved to 99%, which is related to the synergistic effect of high density of oxygen vacancies. Such S‐FZ catalysts are easily separated with a magnet and reused with only 2% loss in photocatalystic degradation efficiency after five circles. Herein, a practical approach toward high‐efficient and recyclable photocatalysts is provided. Herein, the photocatalytic performance and charge transport mechanism of novel sea urchin‐like and waxberry‐type Fe3O4@ZnO hollow core–shell photocatalysts are discussed. Meanwhile, how to improve the performance of the composites themselves for enhancing the photocatalytic performance on the basis of constructing a special morphology is studied in depth.