Construction of Ni₂P/ZnO nanoflowers Z-type structure for enhanced photocatalytic activity

Solar-driven semiconductor photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants is a promising method for environmental remediation. In this study, a simple and unique synthesis method was employed to prepare Z-type structured nanoflowers of Ni₂P/ZnO catalyst, which has never been achieved before. The Ni₂P/ZnO nanoflowers demonstrated highly efficient degradation of organic pollutants under visible light. Specifically, the 5-NZ nanoflowers exhibited excellent visible light catalytic activity for the removal of RhB, with a degradation efficiency of 89.9% within 90 min. Moreover, the catalytic effect was 1.32 times higher than that of pure ZnO and 14 times higher than that of pure Ni₂P. The outstanding photocatalytic activity of Ni₂P/ZnO nanoflowers can mainly be attributed to the synergistic effects achieved through the combined presence of Ni₂P and ZnO. The formation of a Z-type heterojunction not only decreases interface resistance but also maintains the strong redox potential of the photogenerated charges. The effective support of the work function, calculated through density functional theory, confirms the existence of the Z-type heterojunction proposed by electrochemical characterization and free radical capture experiments. This study provides important insights for constructing a Z-type structure between transition metal phosphide and ZnO with excellent conductivity, reducing charge transfer impedance, improving charge separation, and enhancing photocatalytic activity. It offers a new research direction for the degradation of organic pollutants using ZnO.