Sains Malaysiana 49(12)(2020): 3219-3228

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4912-33

Effect of Precursors on the Growth and Physiochemical Properties of Bio-mimetic ZnFe₂O₄ Nanocomposites for Photoelectrochemical Application

(Kesan Prekursor terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Sifat Fisiokimia Nanokomposit ZnFe₂O₄ Bio-mimetik untuk Aplikasi Fotoelektrokimia)

MOHD FAIZAL MD NASIR^1,2,4, WAN RAMLI WAN DAUD^4,6, MOHAMAD AZUWA MOHAMED⁵, MOHAMAD HAFIZ MAMAT^2,3, SAIFOLLAH ABDULLAH^1,2 & MOHAMAD RUSOP MAHMOOD^2,3*

¹Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²NANO-SciTech Centre, Institute of Science, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

³NANO-Electronic Centre, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁴Fuel Cell Institute (SELFUEL), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁵Centre for Advanced Material and Renewable Resources (CAMARR), Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

⁶School of Chemical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 12 August 2020/Accepted: 11 September 2020

ABSTRACT

Zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) photocatalysts have been prepared with different types of zinc precursors using the bio-mimetic synthesis method. The kapok fibre (Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn) used as a sacrificial template. The physiochemical of prepared bio-mimetic materials were carried out thoroughly in this work. The FESEM analysis in mimetic zinc ferrite catalysts shows a distinctly different structural transition under different precursors conditions. The acetate precursor formed a hollow tubular structure while other precursors formed a hierarchal fibril structure. X-ray diffraction analysis showed a distinctly different phase transition while UV-Vis spectroscopy recorded variable optical properties beneath different precursor conditions. The EDX and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the formation of the pure composite after the annealing process. Different type of precursors that used have leads to tuneable of the magnetic properties of the prepared materials. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) method has been used to fabricate the synthesized materials as photo-electrodes on the FTO substrate then evaluated for photoelectrochemical (PEC) application. Changing the precursors in the preparation method show a significant effect on physicochemical and PEC performance. The morphology and surface structure of the prepared catalysts are correlated with the alteration of the precursors, then attributed to the charge transfer properties of the photocurrent density in PEC system. The bio-templated zinc ferrite catalysts are promising photoanode in the photocatalytic activities. It is interesting to note that the various forms of multi-structure such as hollow fibril core-shell offers an enormous impact in designing active photocatalyst with superior performance.

Keywords: Bio-mimetic; kapok fibre; photoelectrochemical; ZnFe₂O₄

ABSTRAK

Pemangkin zink ferit telah berjaya dihasilkan dengan beberapa jenis bahan pemula yang berlainan seperti zink asetat, zink klorida dan zink nitrat terhadap iron nitrat melalui teknik sintesis bio-mimetik. Serat kekabu (Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn) digunakan sebagai bahan templat. Sifat fizikokimia sebatian zink ferit telah berjaya dicirikan sepenuhnya dalam kajian ini. Analisis morfologi (FESEM) menunjukkan perubahan struktur permukaan apabila bahan pemula yang berbeza digunakan. Bahan pemula zink asetat membentuk struktur tiub yang berongga manakala bahan pemula yang lain membentuk sebatian pemangkin yang berstruktur fibril hierarki. Analisis pembelau sinar-X dan spektroskopi UV-Vis masing-masing merekodkan peralihan fasa yang berbeza dan turut mencatatkan sifat optik yang berlainan yang disebabkan oleh pengaruh bahan pemula yang digunakan. Bahan pemula yang berlainan jenis telah didapati memberikan kesan yang signifikan serta turut menala sifat magnet pemangkin yang dihasilkan. Analisis spektroskopi EDX dan ATR-FTIR mengesahkan pembentukan sebatian komposit yang tulen selepas proses penyepuhlindapan bahan templat. Sebatian yang telah disintesis berjaya difabrikasi sebagai elektrod atas permukaan substrat FTO dengan menggunakan teknik pemendapan elektroforetik (EPD). Seterusnya, elektrod yang dihasilkan telah diuji dalam aktiviti foto-elektrokimia (PEC). Pengaruh bahan pemula berlainan jenis terhadap sifat fizikokimia dibincangkan dan dihubungkaitkan dalam aplikasi fotoelektrokimia.

Kata kunci: Bio-mimetik; fotoelektrokimia; serat kekabu; ZnFe₂O₄

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*Corresponding author; email: rusop@uitm.edu.my