Enhanced Sunlight driven photocatalytic performance and visualization of latent fingerprint by green mediated ZnFe2O4–RGO nanocomposite

V.S. Amrutha; K.S. Anantharaju; D.S. Prasanna; Dinesh Rangappa; Krushitha Shetty; H. Nagabhushana; K. Ashwini; Y.S. Vidya; G.P. Darshan

Arabian Journal of Chemistry (Jan 2020)

Enhanced Sunlight driven photocatalytic performance and visualization of latent fingerprint by green mediated ZnFe2O4–RGO nanocomposite

V.S. Amrutha,
K.S. Anantharaju,
D.S. Prasanna,
Dinesh Rangappa,
Krushitha Shetty,
H. Nagabhushana,
K. Ashwini,
Y.S. Vidya,
G.P. Darshan

Affiliations

V.S. Amrutha: Department of Nanotechnology, PG Center, Bangalore Region, VIAT, VTU, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur 562101, India
K.S. Anantharaju: Department of Chemistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560078, India; Dr. D. Premachandra Sagar Centre for Advanced Materials, Affiliated to Mangalore University, DSCE, Bangalore 560078, India; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560078, India (K.S. Anantharaju).
D.S. Prasanna: Department of Nanotechnology, PG Center, Bangalore Region, VIAT, VTU, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur 562101, India
Dinesh Rangappa: Department of Nanotechnology, PG Center, Bangalore Region, VIAT, VTU, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur 562101, India; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560078, India (K.S. Anantharaju).
Krushitha Shetty: Department of Nanotechnology, PG Center, Bangalore Region, VIAT, VTU, Muddenahalli, Chikkaballapur 562101, India; Dr. D. Premachandra Sagar Centre for Advanced Materials, Affiliated to Mangalore University, DSCE, Bangalore 560078, India
H. Nagabhushana: Prof. C.N.R. Rao Centre for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur 572103, India; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560078, India (K.S. Anantharaju).
K. Ashwini: Dr. D. Premachandra Sagar Centre for Advanced Materials, Affiliated to Mangalore University, DSCE, Bangalore 560078, India
Y.S. Vidya: Department of Physics, Lal Bahadur Shastri Government First Grade College, Bangalore 560032, India; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Shavige Malleshwara Hills, Kumaraswamy Layout, Bangalore 560078, India (K.S. Anantharaju).
G.P. Darshan: Department of Physics, Acharaya Institute of Graduate Studies, Bangalore 560107, India

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1449 – 1465

Abstract

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The present study reveals a simple and efficient method for the green reduction of graphene oxide (GO) employing Emblica officinalis fruit extract as a reducing agent. Here, a green sol–gel method has been reported for the preparation of ZnFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposite (NCO) using Aloe Vera extract as a capping agent. PXRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM and HRTEM confirmed the analytical aspects of synthesized samples. The band gaps of prepared samples were estimated by UV–Vis analysis. PL quenching appears due to the interaction between the surface of the ZnFe2O4 and RGO sheets. The photoluminescence analysis indicates that the present NCO is an effective white component in display applications. The NCO was found to be an alternate to traditional luminescent powder for a safe detection and qualitative improvement of latent fingerprints deposited onto different surfaces. Further, excellent photocatalytic properties of NCO when compared to that of the commercial P25 for various other dye degradation under Sunlight can be attributed to its specific electrical properties and well connected arrangement derived from the structural support of ZnFe2O4 and RGO. This results in significant electron-acceptor/transport of RGO material that are able to decrease the photo-generated electron–hole recombination thus enhancing the photocatalytic performance. Keywords: ZnFe2O4-RGO, Green sol-gel, Photocatalysis, Photoluminescence, Fingerprint detection

Published in Arabian Journal of Chemistry

ISSN: 1878-5352 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/arabian-journal-of-chemistry/

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