Ferromagnetic nickel(II) imidazole-anatase framework: An enhanced photocatalytic performance

Nickel(II) imidazole-anatase composites with room temperature ferromagnetism and good photocatalytic activity were prepared by a simple adsorption method using [Ni(1-MeIm)(6)]Cl-2 center dot H2O complex and anatase TiO2 as starting materials in aqueous medium. The deposition of the surface species were elucidated by various conventional techniques. Ferromagnetic behavior was observed from vibrating sample magnetometer at room temperature. This composite has good visible light absorption ability than pristine TiO2. The adsorption and photocatalytic activity of the composite catalysts were evaluated by choosing methylene blue (MB) as organic pollutant under visible light irradiation. We first time report the Ni(II)-imidazole complex deposited on the anatase semiconductor with good photocatalytic and magnetic properties. This is expected to open up a general method for the synthesis of other transition metal loaded metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.