Synthesis and characterization of ZnGa2O4 composites and its photocatalytic properties for energy applications

ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites have been widely used for photocatalytic degradation of industrial dyes. In this work, ZnGa2O4 was synthesized from zinc sulphate heptahydrate ZnSO4.10H2O and Gallium (III) oxide (Ga2O3) by hydrothermal method. As prepared, ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites was used as a photocatalyst degradation of three organic dyes rhodamine-B, methylene blue, and methyl orange, under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. The ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites structure, morphology, size and optical properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL). Moreover, the results explained the rate-controlling mechanisms of the dye degradation process followed by second-order kinetics. After 100 min of adsorption kinetic models, the decomposition of rhodamine-B (7.2 Ct mg/L, 5.2 Ct mg/L, and 4.1 Ct mg/L), methylene blue (42.8 qt mg/g, 44.8 qt mg/g, and 45.9 qt mg/g), and methyl orange (42.8 qe mg/g, 44.8 qe mg/g, and 45.9 qe mg/g) respectively. This investigation study offers a promising method to design more efficient ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites based photocatalytic degradation of industrial organic dyes. •Uniform ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites are obtained by hydrothermal method.•MicrosizedZnGa2O4 nanocomposites efficiently transmit light from chargers to the surface.•ZnGa2O4exhibit high photocatalytic performance, degrading approximately 98% of the dyes within 100 min.•ZnGa2O4 nanoparticles shows better photocatalysis in degradation of MB, MO and RhB organic dyes.