Synthesis of Solar-Light-Responsive ZnO/TaON Nanocomposite and Their Photocatalytic Activity

The effects of the preparation conditions of ZnO-modified TaON on the photocatalytic activity for degradation of rhodamine B dye (Rh. B) under simulated solar light were investigated. The ZnO/TaON nanocomposite were prepared by loading particulate Ta2O5 with ZnO using different ZnO contents, followed by thermal nitridation at 1123 K for 5 h under NH3 flow (20 ml min(-1)). The as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis-DRS, and SEM-EDX. The results revealed that the band gap energy absorption edge of as prepared nanocomposite samples was shifted to a longer wavelength as compared to ZnO and Ta2O5, and the 60 wt% ZnO/TaON nanocomposite exhibited the highest percentage (99.2%) of degradation of Rh. B and the highest reaction rate constant (0.0137 min(-1)) in 4 h which could be attributed to the enhanced absorption of the ZnO/TaON nanocomposite photocatalyst. Hence, these results suggest that the ZnO/TaON nanocomposite exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under simulated solar light irradiation in comparison to the commercial ZnO, Ta2O5, and TaON.