Monodisperse nanostructured Fe₃O₄/ZnO microrods using for waste water treatment

Monodisperse nanostructured Fe₃O₄/ZnO microrods were successfully prepared by an economic one-step synthesis route. The formation of nanostructured Fe₃O₄/ZnO microrods was evident from the detailed structural and elemental analysis by field emission scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The formation mechanism of the hexagonal Fe₃O₄/ZnO microrods was carefully discussed. The removal of toxic metal ions experiments display that Fe₃O₄/ZnO heterostructures show the best removal efficiency compared with pure ZnO and Fe₃O₄ structures, and the photocatalytic experiments show that the Fe₃O₄/ZnO heterostructures display the excellent photocatalytic activity decomposing Rhodamine B (100% after 40 min).