ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite for visible light-induced industrial textile effluent degradation, uric acid and ascorbic acid sensing and antimicrobial activity

A facile and inexpensive route has been developed to synthesize a ternary ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite having nanorod structures based on the thermal decomposition method. The as-synthesized ternary ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite was characterized and used for visible light-induced photocatalytic, sensing and antimicrobial studies. The ternary ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite exhibited excellent and enhanced visible light-induced photocatalytic degradation of industrial textile effluent (real sample analysis) compared to pure ZnO. Sensing studies showed that the ternary ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite exhibited outstanding and improved detection of uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA). It also showed effective and efficient bactericidal activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. These results suggest that the small size, high surface area and synergistic effect among ZnO, AgNPs and Mn₂O₃ induced visible light photocatalytic activity by decreasing the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, and extending the response of pure ZnO to visible light, enhanced sensing of UA and AA and antimicrobial activity. Overall, the ternary ZnO/Ag/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite is a valuable material that can be used for a range of applications, such as visible light-induced photocatalysis, sensing and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, ternary nanocomposites could have important applications in environmental science, sensing, and biological fields.