One-Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of ZnFe2O4/ZnO Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance

Heterogeneous photocatalysis has been widely recognized as one of the most effective methods for organic wastewater treatment. In this study, ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposite were successfully synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal method and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area analyzer (BET). The photocatalytic activities of ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposites were evaluated in the degradation of organic pollutants under ultraviolet irradiation. The results demonstrate that ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposites exhibited superior photocatalytic activity in degrading methylene blue (MB), ofloxacin antibiotic (OFL), and sulfadiazine (SDZ), which the degradation rates for MB, OFL, and SDZ were 95.90%, 75.83%, and 72.32%, respectively, with corresponding degradation times of 70 min, 160 min, and 90 min. These values represented respective improvements of 30%, 47.03%, and 27.72% compared to ZnFe 2 O 4 nanomaterials, as well as enhancements of 2.05%, 19.53%, and 19.52% relative to ZnO nanomaterials. The formation of ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO heterostructure effectively suppressed electron–hole recombination, thereby significantly enhancing both the activity and stability of the photocatalysts. Furthermore, The findings from the photocatalytic cyclic degradation experiment demonstrate that the ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposites exhibit excellent reusability as photocatalysts and hold significant potential for application in the treatment of industrial wastewater containing organic pollutants.