A series of ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocubes with excellent photocatalytic activity towards visible light

[Display omitted] •ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites was synthesized by a hydrothermal method.•ZnCo2O4 material observed bandgap energy is 2.6 eV.•Obey for interfacial interaction of the pure and doping materials.•ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt material possesses high photocatalytic activity. The ring-like shape of ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, as synthesized ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites were characterized by different instrument like Raman, DRS-UV, XRD, FT-IR and FESEM. The structural conformation of ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites was confirmed by XRD with an identified to the phase group’s orientation. ZnCo2O4/rGO functional group was recorded by FT-IR spectroscopy and the remarkable vibrational frequency modes were monitored by Raman spectroscopy. The pure ZnCo2O4 material observed bandgap energy is high (2.6 eV) compared with ZnCo2O4/rGO and ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites, and the calculated bandgap energy was decreased from 2.6 eV to 1.7 eV. In this case, the proper reason is the interfacial interaction of the pure and doping materials. The synthesized ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt samples attained a ring and sheet-like structure, after Pt doped when the surface morphology has been changed to the nanocubes like structure. The Photoluminescence properties of the ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites were evaluated. The ZnCo2O4, ZnCo2O4/rGO and ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt nanocomposites were applied for dye degradation (various organic dyes) with visible-light illumination. The obtained ZnCo2O4/rGO/Pt material possesses high photocatalytic activity (BB –Brilliant Blue) compared to other catalysts and further organic dyes of MO (Methyl Orange) and MB (Methylene Blue).