An efficient fabrication of ZnO–carbon nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity and superior photostability

Synthesis of carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) and their composite with ZnO has proposed for the first time by combustion of camphor and chemical precipitation method. TEM image shows the surface of ZnO covered by tiny CNPs and acts as structure directing agent that transforms ZnO nanorods to uniform spherical ZnO. CNPs play a vital role to improve the photocatalytic activity and photostability of ZnO up to five runs due to impeding the photo-corrosion of ZnO. Enhance in the photocatalytic activity of ZnO–carbon nanocomposite could be attributed to the excellent dye adsorption capacity, direct photooxidation of dye and suppression of photoinduced electron–hole recombination. The presence of CNPs in nanocomposite served as the main role in accepting the photogenerated electrons due to electronic interaction between ZnO and CNPs. The cytotoxicity studies of meristematic root tip cells of Allium cepa reveals that photocatalytically degraded products were less toxic.