Spinel ZnCO2O4 Nanosheets - Modified Sinws as Photocatalyst for Degradation of Organic Pollutant

The photocatalytic degradation of azo dye RhB using spinel ZnCo₂O₄-modified silicon nanowires (ZnCo₂O₄/SiNWs) was investigated under visible light irradiation.  Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were elaborated by metal-assisted chemical etching and on which ZnCo₂O₄ was deposited by hydrothermal technique. The prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The RhB photodegradation was monitored by UV-Vis spectrometry. It was revealed that ZnCo₂O₄/SiNWs exhibited higher phtocatalytic activity than unmodified SiNWs, and the phtocatalytic activity strongly depends on experimental parameters of SiNWs synthesis and ZnCo₂O₄deposition.