Zn and Ni doping effect on barium hexaferrite ferroelectric, optical properties and photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

In this study, we explored the potential photocatalytic activity of doped ferrites by examining the effects of zinc and nickel doping on barium hexaferrite (Ba1-xZnxFe12-yNiyO19) nanoparticles. To prepare the samples, we utilized a micro-emulsion approach and evaluated the influence of dopants on their structural, ferroelectric, and photocatalytic properties. The X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra indicated that the synthesized samples were hexagonal and belonged to the P63/mmc space group. The average crystallite size has been calculated in the range of 64–67 nm. By enhancing the dopant concentration, the optical bandgap decreased from 2.19 (eV) to 1.48 (eV). The material with a narrow bandgap is useful for catalytic application and PL signal was also revealed low-rate recombination of e−-h+ pair. Moreover, photo-degradation experiment was carried out by degrading the methyl violet dye under visible light irradiation. The highly substituted material furnished 87% of dye removal, which was 56% in case of undoped sample. The Ba1-xZnxFe12-yNiyO19 material demonstrates great potential as a photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes in effluents when exposed to visible light. This finding suggests that this material could be a valuable solution for addressing the challenges posed by dye contamination in wastewater.