Preparation of cerium and yttrium doped ZnO nanoparticles and tracking their structural, optical, and photocatalytic performances

• Published in: Journal of rare earths Vol. 41; no. 5; pp. 682 - 688
• Main Authors: Hannachi, Essia, Slimani, Yassine, Nawaz, Muhammad, Sivakumar, R., Trabelsi, Zayneb, Vignesh, R., Akhtar, Sultan, Almessiere, Munirah A., Baykal, Abdulhadi, Yasin, Ghulam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Bandgap energy; Co-doping; Photocatalytic activity; Rare earth; Structure; ZnO nanoparticles; Photocatalytic activity; ZnO nanoparticles; Rare earth; Structure; Bandgap energy; Co-doping
• ISSN: 1002-0721
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jre.2022.03.020

Yttrium (Y) and cerium (Ce) co-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via the simple sol–gel auto-combustion route. The effect of Ce and Y doping on the structure, morphology, optical, Zeta potential, and photocatalytic activities of ZnO NPs was examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV–vis spectrophotometer, and Zetasizer instrument. XRD data show that the fabricated samples crystallize into a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The dopants Y and Ce affect the crystal structure of ZnO NPs. The crystallite size is reduced with the co-doping effect. TEM results confirm the nano-sized particles of the prepared samples. An increase in optical bandgap values from 3.19 eV for x = 0.0 to 3.22, 3.24, and 3.25 eV for x = 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05 samples was confirmed by UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis. Y and Ce co-doped ZnO nanoparticles show significant alteration of zeta potential and photocatalytic properties compared to undoped ZnO NPs. Comparatively, undoped ZnO shows better stability in deionized water as compared to Ce–Y doped ZnO NPs and exhibits high photocatalytic activity (degradation rate, 97.92%) for methyl orange (MO) degradation. ZnO nanoparticles with rare earths (Y and Ce) were prepared via the simple sol–gel auto-combustion route. The prepared samples crystallize into a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The Y and Ce co-doping alters the photocatalytic performance of ZnO. The results of this work are useful as they provide information about the appropriate dopant elements that should be used to obtain ZnO nanoparticles with improved photocatalytic properties. [Display omitted]