Fast and Excellent Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using Silver-Doped Zinc Oxide Submicron Structures under Blue Laser Irradiation

Abstract

In this study, laser-assisted chemical bath synthesis (LACBS) was used to prepare pure and Ag-doped ZnO submicron structures using a simplified hydrothermal approach that did not require a catalyst. The photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue was investigated under blue laser irradiation (λ = 444.5 nm and I = 8000 lx). The doping concentration varied (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, tando 10%) and was prepared by LACBS using a continuous blue laser (P = 7 W, λ = 444.5 nm) for the first time. XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, and UV-Vis investigated the characteristics of the samples produced by the LACBS. ZnO: Ag(10%) submicron flowers are essential in rapid photodegradation under blue laser irradiation. The high surface area and catalytic activity of the prepared Ag-decorated ZnO are attributed to this improved photocatalytic activity. Using UV-visible spectroscopy, the photocatalytic efficiency was determined from the absorption spectra. The separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs was facilitated, and the absorption edge of the hybrid submicron structures shifted into the visible spectrum region due to a combination of the Ag plasmonic effect and surface imperfections in ZnO. Effective visible light absorption was achieved via band-edge tuning, which increased the ZnO:Ag submicron structures’ ability to degrade dyes.

Synergistic Effects of Multiple Heterojunctions and Dopant Atom for Enhancing the Photocatalytic Activity of C-Modified Zn-Doped TiO2 Nanofiber Film

“…The peaks of TZ and TZC at 393 nm are stronger than the others compared with T0 and TC, indicating the presence of ZnO. The UV luminescence peak of ZnO is at around 391 nm [66]. A shoulder appears at 423 nm in the ZC and ZTC samples, which may belong to the effect produced by the C entry into the lattice.…”

Facile Synthesis of Ni-Doped ZnO Nanostructures via Laser-Assisted Chemical Bath Synthesis with High and Durable Photocatalytic Activity

“…where k is the constant (k= 0.9), θ is the Bragg diffraction angle, λ is the X-ray source wavelength (λ = 1.5427), and β is FWHM. The lattice constants (a, b, and c) of the doped and undoped ZnO were calculated using Bragg's law [33]:…”

“…The degradation of organic dyes using photocatalysis is highly dependent on the generation of electron-hole pairs, which requires semiconductor catalysts to absorb more light efficiently. To achieve this, doping ZnO with Ni-significantly enhances the former's photocatalytic characteristics by extending the lifespan of the electron-hole pairs and increasing the compound's light-harvesting capacity [33]. The process involves exposing the ZnO nanostructure to blue laser photons, which could excite electrons from the valence band to the conduction band, creating holes in the valence band.…”

“…These manipulations can alter charge carrier concentrations, modify band structures, and tune ZnO's physical and chemical properties, making it suitable for many applications [30][31][32]. Through the deposition of metallic dopants on the surface of ZnO, new energy levels can be generated to produce a photogenerated electron from the conduction band and thus reduce the recombination effects [33,34].…”

Photodegradation of Methylene Blue Using a UV/H2O2 Irradiation System

“…Abdullah et al [32] synthesized a ternary CuO/CuS/MnO 2 nanocomposite that showed 98% MB degradation under visible light irradiation in 160 min. Zyoud et al [33] synthesized a 10% Ag-doped ZnO catalyst and achieved higher MB photodegradation at 444.5 nm irradiation as compared to ZnO. Zhao et al [34] synthesized ZnO nanoflower arrays (ZnO NFAs), in which the ZnO nanorods were grown vertically downward and formed ZnO NFAs.…”