4. Conclusion
In this paper, ZnCo2O4 was prepared by a microwave-assisted process, and then ZnCo2O4 was loaded onto Ag3PO4 by in-situ chemical precipitation method to obtain a composite photocatalyst. The catalytic activity and cycle stability were evaluated under visible light, and the catalytic reaction mechanism was proposed. The main conclusions are as follows:
(1) ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4exhibits high photocatalytic performance and good stability under room temperature and visible light conditions. The photocatalytic degradation rate of pure ZnCo2O4 within 30 minutes is only 5%, and the photocatalytic efficiency is very low. The results show that the degradation rate of MO by the 0.1ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4composite system can reach 94% within 30 minutes, and MO is basically degraded. Research has found that ZnCo2O4 has a significant promoter effect on the photocatalytic degradation of Ag3PO4.
(2) In the stability test, after three cycles, the degradation rate of MO by 0.1 ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4remained at 84.4%, while the degradation rate of Ag3PO4 was only 21.8%, indicating that the stability of the 0.1 ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4composite was significantly improved compared with Ag3PO4. The photocatalytic activity was the highest at 0.1 ZnCo2O4/Ag3PO4. This study will play an important guiding role in pollution control.
(3) The visible light degradation of MO solution by Ag3PO4 is very easy to inactivate. The addition of ZnCo2O4 can accelerate the separation of photoelectron holes and improve the stability and catalytic activity of the catalyst.