Microwave-assisted sol–gel synthesis of Fe2.9O4/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles using ethylene glycol and its use in photocatalytic degradation of 2-nitrophenol

Novel Fe2.9O4/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles have been synthesized by a microwave-assisted sol–gel method using ethylene glycol. Phase purity was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and it was observed that when diethanolamine and zinc acetate dihydrate were added to Fe2O3, it has undergone a reduction reaction and converted to Fe2.9O4. Characterization of nanoparticles was evaluated, and the formation of magnetic core/Shell structure was estimated by transition electron microscopy and elemental mapping. The band gap energy of Fe2.9O4/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles was measured to be 3.33 eV by UV–Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic property of Fe2.9O4/ZnO core/shell nanoparticles was evaluated on 2-nitrophenol in aqueous solution under UV-C irradiation. The effect of the initial 2-nitrophenol concentration, amount of photocatalyst, and pH were investigated during photodegradation. Kinetics of the 2-nitrophenol photocatalytic degradation was studied, and experimental data fitted in the pseudo-first-order kinetic and Langmuir–Hinshelwood models. The values for k L–H and K ads were 5.0403 mg L−1 min−1 and 0.1984 L mg−1, respectively.