RETRACTED: Fabrication of ZnFe2O4 modified TiO2 hybrid composites for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol (Retracted Article)

In this research work a p-n type heterojunction ZnFe2O4/TiO2 photocatalysts with different ratios (1-2 wt%) were prepared synthesized by using the hydrothermal method. The heterojunction ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1,5) exhibited highest photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into methanol in 5.5 h. The SEM and TEM results showed that the material has spherical and irregular shapes nanoparticles having size in the range of 200-400 nm. The EDX results showed that peaks of Zn, O, Ti, and Fe, which exhibit the purity of the material. The XRD results showed that the material is highly crystalline and pure which is very effective for the reduction of CO2. The average particle size of the TiO2, ZnFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1.5) are 47.3, 64.1 and 46.2 nm respectively. The XPS results showed that the Zn, Fe, Ti, O, and C are available in the composite. The values are well matched with oxidation state of Ti is Ti4+ which means that titanium is in pure anatase form, BET surface area of ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1.5) photocatalysts is 7.3171 m(2)/g and UV-vis results showed that ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1.5) have smallest band gap 2.76 eV and absorption spectrum in the range of 400 to 800 nm which fall in the visible region. The ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1.5) photocatalyst showed a 3% increase in production of methanol, the highest yield observed is 527.4 mu molgcat(-1). The increase in the efficiency of ZnFe2O4/TiO2 (1:1) is due to high crystallinity, large surface area, high absorption region and low recombination of charge carriers.