Using ZIF-8 to synthesize ZnO/C composite with enhanced photocatalytic property

Using zinc nitrate hexahydrate and 2-methylimidazole as raw materials, ZIF-8 was successfully prepared in the methanol solvent. Through the stepwise strategies of pyrolysis and calcination at different temperatures and atmospheres, the desired product of ZnO/C composite was obtained. The techniques of XRD, FT-IR and SEM were used to determine the structure and morphology of samples, respectively. The results showed that ZnO/C composite retained the hexagonal polyhedron morphology of ZIF-8 and constructed a porous structure. And, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue solution was carried out using ZnO/C and referenced ZnO as catalysts, respectively. The results declared that the improved catalytic property of ZnO/C composite benefited from the synergistic effect of ZnO and porous carbon skeleton. The excellent degradation ability of ZnO/C was achieved. This work provided a facile way to develop ZnO-based photocatalysts with the desired photocatalytic performance.