International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 04 Special Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 One Day International Seminar on Materials Science & Technology (ISMST 2017) 4 th August 2017 Organized by Department of Physics, Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal, Tamilnadu, India © 2017, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 5.181 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 70 Mechanistic investigation of FeO/MnO/ZnO nanocomposites for UV light driven photocatalytic performance Shanmugam Vignesh 1 , M. Sivakami 2 , P. Muniyappan 3 , Jeyaperumal Kalyana Sundar 4 1,2,3,4 Materials science Laboratory, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem – 636 011, Tamil Nadu, India *jksundar50@gmail.com, vigneshattur1@gmail.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------***-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract: The FeO/MnO/ZnO nanocomposites (FMZ NCs)) which were prepared by ultrasonication assisted precipitation method and investigation of their mechanical and photocatalytic activity were analysed. 10M at % of Fe and Mn metal ions have mixed together ZnO nanomaterial to enhance the optical, luminescence and photocatalytic properties studied via XRD, SEM, EDX, UV-Vis DR Spectroscopy, PL Spectroscopy and photocatalytic performance with their results are discussed. Optical bandgap should be blue shift from 3.18 to 3.04eV, and broad photoluminescence (PL) peak appears around 490nm were corresponds to blue emission region. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared FMZ NCs for degradation of MB dye under the UV light irradiation were examined and the FMZ NCs will be time taken of 300 mins in reaches of degradation has 90%. The FMZ of Photocatalytic reaction kinetics will be high compare than PZ. Keywords: Photocatalyst, Blue emission, Nanocomposites, UV-light, Degradation 1. Introduction Nanostructured semiconducting metal oxides are being widely utilized in the fields of sensors, catalysis optical nano devices, electronics, and photoactive properties. Being a wide band gap and multi-disciplinary among the semiconductor, Zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most widely investigated semiconductor photocatalyst owing to its availability, non- toxic nature, stability, good resistance to photo corrosion and biological stability. However, to efficiently use ZnO in practice as an air and water decontamination agent, wide bandgap material (~3.37 eV), large excitonic binding energy (60 meV) and can only be activated by UV light with a wavelength equal or lower than 385 nm to trigger the e − /h + separation and its due to easy recombination together [1, 2]. In addition of effective metal ions (tin oxide (SnO), iron oxide (FeO), manganese oxide (MnO), copper oxide (CuO) etc.,) doping in ZnO will be moral results in improved optical, and catalytic properties also increases prospects for their utilization. 2. Synthesis In Precursors of Zinc nitrate (0.1M), iron II nitrate (0.01M) and manganese acetate (0.01M) and 0.1g of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) were dissolved in 200 ml of DI water and 50ml ethanol through continuous stirring for 10 hours. Simultaneously, 0.3M of NaOH is added (pH=9) to the particular solution for which resulting in a dark precipitate [3]. This solution was heated by microwave oven at 450W for 20mins with their ultrasonicated in 30 mins for getting a dispersing nano materials. The obtained product was placed in a hot air oven at 120 o C for 8 hours, finally it is moved to anneal in the furnace at 600 o C for 2.5hr to stabilize [2] the FMZ nanocomposites. A similar procedure was followed to synthesis of with Fe, and other Mn also undoped ZnO, and it’s labelled as follows; (Fe: Mn-0M%: ZnO (PZ), Fe-0.01M%: ZnO (FZ), Mn-0.01M%: ZnO (MZ) and Fe-0.01M%: Mn-0.01M%: ZnO (FMZ)).