A new efficient visible-light-driven composite photocatalyst comprising ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles and conjugated polymer from the dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride

This communication reports the development of a new efficient visible-light-driven composite photocatalyst comprising ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles and conjugated polymer (CPVC) from the dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). ZnFe 2 O 4 /CPVC nanocomposites were synthesized via three main steps: (i) the synthesis of ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles by a sol-gel method; (ii) the adsorption of PVC in tetrahydrofuran solution by ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles to form ZnFe 2 O 4 /PVC nanocomposites; and (iii) the dehydrochlorination of PVC in the ZnFe 2 O 4 /PVC nanocomposites by heating at 150   °C for 2   h. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy characterization revealed that the as-synthesized product was core/shell structured ZnFe 2 O 4 /CPVC nanocomposites. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that the ZnFe 2 O 4 /CPVC nanocomposites had much higher photocatalytic activity than ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles in the reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible-light (λ>420   nm) irradiation. Thus, ZnFe 2 O 4 /CPVC nanocomposites are promising for use as a new efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst .