Improvement of photocatalytic ammonia production of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles utilizing microporous ZSM-5 type ferrisilicate zeolite

Abstract The development of decarbonized synthesis approaches is a critical step in the fabrication of ammonia, an indispensable chemical and a potential carbon–neutral energy carrier. In this regard, the photocatalytic production technology has gained ample attention as a sustainable alternative to energy-intensive and environmentally detrimental Haber–Bosch process. Here, we present cobalt ferrite nanoparticles supported on microporous ZSM-5 type ferrisilicate zeolite as a desirable novel photocatalyst for the ammonia generation. The zeolite introduced as a microporous support increasing the catalytically active sites. A straightforward one-pot sol–gel method was used to synthesize cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) and CoFe2O4/ferrisilicate (CF/FS) nanocomposites with various weight percentages (10, 25 and 50%) of CoFe2O4. The photocatalytic performances of the samples in the production of ammonia were investigated under visible light irradiation. The highest rate of NH4 + production (484.74 µmol L−1 h−1) was achieved using the CF50%/FS photocatalyst. The distribution of