Synergistic Effect of Zn Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties of Sol–Gel Derived Spinel Ferrite for Tetracycline Photodegradation
Issued Date
2025-04-01
Resource Type
ISSN
1011372X
eISSN
1572879X
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105000025101
Journal Title
Catalysis Letters
Volume
155
Issue
4
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Catalysis Letters Vol.155 No.4 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Nasir M.H.A., Yasar M., Khokhar A.M., Fatima K., Abbas M., Ali M., Mahmood F., Almaary K.S., Shah T.A., Rao D.P. Synergistic Effect of Zn Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties of Sol–Gel Derived Spinel Ferrite for Tetracycline Photodegradation. Catalysis Letters Vol.155 No.4 (2025). doi:10.1007/s10562-025-04978-x Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/106826
Title
Synergistic Effect of Zn Doping on the Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties of Sol–Gel Derived Spinel Ferrite for Tetracycline Photodegradation
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Abstract
Pharmaceutical pollution, particularly contamination of aquatic environments, poses a significant global environmental challenge. This study introduces a novel photocatalytic approach for tetracycline removal using zinc-doped strontium magnesium aluminum ferrite (ZnxSr0.7−xMg0.3Al0.1Fe1.9O4, (x = 0, 0.3)) nanoparticles. We successfully engineered photocatalysts with enhanced structural and photocatalytic properties using a sophisticated sol–gel synthesis method. The zinc-doped material demonstrated remarkable improvements compared to its undoped counterpart. The key structural modifications included a reduced crystallite size (from 35.55 nm to 27.55 nm), significantly increased surface area (from 6.63 m2/g to 32.14 m2/g), and a narrowed bandgap (from 2.7 eV to 2.4 eV). These modifications directly translated into superior photocatalytic performance, with the tetracycline degradation efficiency increasing from 73.67 to 98.43%. Mechanistic investigations revealed the presence of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation mechanism, with first-order kinetics governing the reaction. The catalyst demonstrated exceptional stability, maintaining 93.45% degradation efficiency after five consecutive cycles. The quantum efficiency was improved by 34%, highlighting the potential of strategic metal doping for enhancing photocatalytic materials. This study provides a promising strategy for pharmaceutical pollution remediation and offers insights into advanced material design for environmental applications. Zinc-doped spinel ferrite represents a significant advancement in the development of efficient recyclable photocatalysts for water treatment.