Author(s)

Mysore Byrappa Nayan¹, Krishnegowda Jagadish¹, Mavinakere Ramesh Abhilash¹, Keerthiraj Namratha^2,3, Shivanna Srikantaswamy^1*

¹Department of Studies in Environmental Science, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India.
²Center for Materials Science and Technology, Vijnana Bhavana, University of Mysuru, Mysuru, India.
³Department of Studies in Earth Science, University of Mysore, Mysuru, India.

ZnO-M_xO_y heterostructures (M=Co, Mn, Ni, or In) are fabricated via hydrothermal synthesis method. X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses endorse the successive formation of the various heterostructures. Field Emission Scanning electron microscope and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area studies confirm the porous nature of the heterostructures obtained. The band gaps of various heterostructures are calculated that, 3.1, 2.71, 2.64, and 2.19 eV for ZnO-NiO, ZnO-In₂O₃, ZnO-Co₃O₄, and ZnO-MnO₂, respectively. The photocatalytic activities of the fabricated heterostructures are investigated through the degradation of phenol under direct sunlight irradiation. The results show that the photocatalytic activity is affected by the conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB) positions rather than surface area of ZnO-M_xO_y heterostructure nanocomposites.

Metal Oxide Heterostructures, ZnO-M_xO_y Nanocomposites, Hydrothermal Synthesis, Solar-Driven Photocatalysis, Phenol Degradation

Nayan, M. , Jagadish, K. , Abhilash, M. , Namratha, K. and Srikantaswamy, S. (2019) Comparative Study on the Effects of Surface Area, Conduction Band and Valence Band Positions on the Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO-M_xO_y Heterostructures. Journal of Water Resource and Protection, 11, 357-370. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2019.113021.