Boosted spatial charge carrier separation of binary ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ heterojunction for visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity and antimicrobial performance

A potential method for removing toxins from contaminated wastewater, especially organic pollutants, is photo-catalysis. Here, a simple technique for producing zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe₂O₄ NPS) with varying quantities of sulphur doped graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites (ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ NCs) has been described. Then, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), TEM, EDX, XPS, photocurrent response, EIS, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the photo-catalytic activity of the produced nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposites (NCs) was examined and evaluated. The photo-catalytic activity of ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ NCs was compared to a model pollutant dye, methylene blue, while degradation was evaluated spectrophotometrically (MB). Solar light has been used through irradiation as a source of lighting. The photocatalytic behaviour of the ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ NCs photocatalyst was superior to that of genuine ZnFe₂O₄ and S-g-C₃N₄, which was attributed to synergic effects at the ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ interconnection. Antimicrobial activity of ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria under visible light was performed. In addition, these ZnFe₂O₄/S-g-C₃N₄ NCs show a lot of promise as an antibacterial agent.