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Fakhrutdinova ED, Volokitina AV, Kulinich SA, Goncharova DA, Kharlamova TS, Svetlichnyi VA. Plasmonic Nanocomposites of ZnO-Ag Produced by Laser Ablation and Their Photocatalytic Destruction of Rhodamine, Tetracycline and Phenol. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:527. [PMID: 38276466 PMCID: PMC10818360 DOI: 10.3390/ma17020527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Hydrosphere pollution by organic pollutants of different nature (persistent dyes, phenols, herbicides, antibiotics, etc.) is one of the urgent ecological problems facing humankind these days. The task of water purification from such pollutants can be effectively solved with the help of modern photocatalytic technologies. This article is devoted to the study of photocatalytic properties of composite catalysts based on ZnO modified with plasmonic Ag nanoparticles. All materials were obtained by laser synthesis in liquid and differed by their silver content and preparation conditions, such as additional laser irradiation and/or annealing of produced powders. The prepared ZnO-Ag powders were investigated by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Photocatalytic tests were carried out with well- known test molecules in water (persistent dye rhodamine B, phenol and common antibiotic tetracycline) using LED light sources with wavelengths of 375 and 410 nm. The introduction of small concentrations (up to 1%) of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles is shown to increase the efficiency of the ZnO photocatalyst by expanding its spectral range. Both the preparation conditions and material composition were optimized to obtain composite photocatalysts with the highest efficiency. Finally, the operation mechanisms of the material with different distribution of silver are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena D. Fakhrutdinova
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Technology, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; (E.D.F.)
| | - Anastasia V. Volokitina
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Technology, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; (E.D.F.)
- Research Institute of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Sergei A. Kulinich
- Research Institute of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Daria A. Goncharova
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Technology, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; (E.D.F.)
| | | | - Valery A. Svetlichnyi
- Laboratory of Advanced Materials and Technology, Tomsk State University, 634050 Tomsk, Russia; (E.D.F.)
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Khan M, Nowsherwan GA, Ali R, Ahmed M, Anwar N, Riaz S, Farooq A, Hussain SS, Naseem S, Choi JR. Investigation of Photoluminescence and Optoelectronics Properties of Transition Metal-Doped ZnO Thin Films. Molecules 2023; 28:7963. [PMID: 38138453 PMCID: PMC10745842 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28247963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Thin films of zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with transition metals have recently gained significant attention due to their potential applications in a wide range of optoelectronic devices. This study focuses on ZnO thin films doped with the transition metals Co, Fe, and Zr, exploring various aspects of their structural, morphological, optical, electrical, and photoluminescence properties. The thin films were produced using RF and DC co-sputtering techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that all the doped ZnO thin films exhibited a stable wurtzite crystal structure, showcasing a higher structural stability compared to the undoped ZnO, while the atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging highlighted a distinctive granular arrangement. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was employed to confirm the presence of transition metals in the thin films, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to investigate the presence of chemical bonding. The optical characterizations indicated that doping induced changes in the optical properties of the thin films. Specifically, the doped ZnO thin film's bandgap experienced a significant reduction, decreasing from 3.34 to 3.30 eV. The photoluminescence (PL) analysis revealed distinguishable emission peaks within the optical spectrum, attributed to electronic transitions occurring between different bands or between a band and an impurity. Furthermore, the introduction of these transition metals resulted in decreased resistivity and increased conductivity, indicating their positive influence on the electrical conductivity of the thin films. This suggests potential applications in solar cells and light-emitting devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Khan
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Ghazi Aman Nowsherwan
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Rashid Ali
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Pakistan
| | - Muqarrab Ahmed
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan
| | - Nadia Anwar
- Department of Physics, The University of Lahore, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Saira Riaz
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Aroosa Farooq
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sajjad Hussain
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Naseem
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Jeong Ryeol Choi
- School of Electronic Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Republic of Korea
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Kedruk YY, Contestabile A, Zeng J, Fontana M, Laurenti M, Gritsenko LV, Cicero G, Pirri CF, Abdullin KA. Morphology Effects on Electro- and Photo-Catalytic Properties of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2527. [PMID: 37764556 PMCID: PMC10534315 DOI: 10.3390/nano13182527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Environmental problems are among the most pressing issues in the modern world, including the shortage of clean drinking water partially caused by contamination from various industries and the excessive emission of CO2 primarily from the massive use of fossil fuels. Consequently, it is crucial to develop inexpensive, effective, and environmentally friendly methods for wastewater treatment and CO2 reduction, turning them into useful feedstocks. This study explores a unique method that addresses both challenges by utilizing ZnO, which is recognized as one of the most active semiconductors for photocatalysis, as well as a cost-effective electrocatalyst for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Specifically, we investigate the influence of the morphology of various ZnO nanostructures synthesized via different low-cost routes on their photocatalytic properties for degrading the rhodamine-B dye (RhB) and on their electrocatalytic performance for the CO2RR. Our results show that the ZnO lamella morphology achieves the best performance compared to the nanorod and nanoparticle structures. This outcome is likely attributed to the lamella's higher aspect ratio, which plays a critical role in determining the structural, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yevgeniya Y. Kedruk
- Department of General Physics, Satbayev University, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan;
| | - Alessandra Contestabile
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
| | - Juqin Zeng
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
- Center for Sustainable Future Technologies @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 10144 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Fontana
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
- Center for Sustainable Future Technologies @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 10144 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Laurenti
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
| | - Lesya V. Gritsenko
- Department of General Physics, Satbayev University, Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan;
- National Nanotechnology Laboratory of Open Type, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan;
| | - Giancarlo Cicero
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
| | - Candido F. Pirri
- Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino, 10129 Turin, Italy; (A.C.); (M.F.); (M.L.); (G.C.); (C.F.P.)
- Center for Sustainable Future Technologies @Polito, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 10144 Turin, Italy
| | - Khabibulla A. Abdullin
- National Nanotechnology Laboratory of Open Type, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan;
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Radičić R, Maletić D, Blažeka D, Car J, Krstulović N. Synthesis of Silver, Gold, and Platinum Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Water. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:3484. [PMID: 36234610 PMCID: PMC9565542 DOI: 10.3390/nano12193484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a simple two-step method for the synthesis of Ag, Au, and Pt-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The method is based on the fabrication of targets using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique where thin layers of metals (Ag, Pt, Au) have been deposited on a metal-oxide bulk substrate (ZnO). Such formed structures were used as a target for the production of doped nanoparticles (ZnO: Ag, ZnO: Au, and ZnO: Pt) by laser ablation in water. The influence of Ag, Au, and Pt doping on the optical properties, structure and composition, sizing, and morphology was studied using UV-Visible (UV-Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The band-gap energy decreased to 3.06, 3.08, and 3.15 for silver, gold, and platinum-doped ZnO compared to the pure ZnO (3.2 eV). PL spectra showed a decrease in the recombination rate of the electrons and holes in the case of doped ZnO. SEM, TEM, and AFM images showed spherical-shaped nanoparticles with a relatively smooth surface. The XRD patterns confirm that Ag, Au, and Pt were well incorporated inside the ZnO lattice and maintained a hexagonal wurtzite structure. This work could provide a new way for synthesizing various doped materials.
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