Selenium Zinc Oxide (Se/ZnO) Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity

Abstract

A facile synthesis of undoped and 2.0 % selenium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) was efficaciously accomplished through a mechanochemical route using zinc acetate dihydrate, oxalic acid, and Se powder in a solid state reaction. After calcination at 450 °C, the obtained nanostructures were probed by X-ray diffraction, where the acquired data revealed the pertinence of the wurtzite hexagonal ZnO for both undoped (ZnO) and doped (Se/ZnO) NPs and crystallite sizes of 30 and 24 nm for ZnO and Se/ZnO, respectively. The formation of the target NPs was confirmed by the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and the Fourier transformation infrared molecular vibrations data. The porosity investigations indicated 33.65 m2/g Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area, 197 Å pore diameter, and 0.172 cm3/g pore volume for the Se/ZnO NPs compared to lower values for the pristine ZnO. The band gap energies were 3.19 and 3.15 eV for ZnO and Se/ZnO as perceived from the Tauc plots of the UV-visible absorption measurements. The photodegradation of methylene blue dye under UV illumination was found to follow the pseudo–first-order kinetics with an enhanced performance by the doped samples as reflected by the higher (3.2 × 10−3 s−1) rate constant relative to the undoped sample (1.7 × 10−3 s−1). A photodegradation mechanism was suggested in the light of the band gap energy investigation. The obtained findings indicate the improvement of ZnO properties by doping with Se through a simplistic and inexpensive approach.

Effectiveness of Se/ZnO NPs in Enhancing the Antibacterial Activity of Resin-Based Dental Composites

“…The precursors were washed with ethanol multiple times, and each step involved manual shaking and 10 min of sonication. Afterward, the NPs were oven dried at 40 °C for 12 h. Dried NPs were annealed at 450 °C for 30 min in a temperature-controlled furnace to obtain fine crystalline pristine ZnO NPs [ 25 ]…”

“…Similarly, Se/ZnO NPs were obtained by adding 0.5 mmol of Se powder (0.04 g) to the mixture of 5.48 g of zinc acetate dihydrate (Zn (CH 3 COO) 2 2H 2 O) and 3.78 g of oxalic acid (C 2 H 2 O 4 ·2H 2 O) using a pestle and mortar and grinding at room temperature. The same procedure was followed to obtain Se/ZnO NPs [ 25 ].…”

“…The synthesized pristine and Se/ZnO NPs were confirmed by several characterization techniques routinely used [ 15 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. The first confirmation was done by UV-Vis spectrophotometry from UV-2800 BMS Biotechnology Medical Services, Madrid, Spain, spectrophotometer.…”

In situ synthesis of zinc oxide/selenium composite for UV blocker application

“…Purposed to take the anti-ROS advantage of Se NPs as well as to minimize its batch production limitation, Se-doped ZnO NPs were attempted through a thermomechanical processing with ZnO precursors and Se metal powder. 30,31 Except for thermomechanical, Se-doped ZnO NPs were also synthesized through seed-mediated hydrothermal method, 32 electrochemical, 33 sol-gel precipitation method. 34 However, the doping of Se into ZnO can create defect sites and incorporate impurities for facilitating mobility of charge carriers, resulting in enhanced photoactivity.…”

“…The conversion rate of this amorphous Se NPs prepared by chemical reduction method is feasible with extensive reducing agents added, but due to precursor solution concentration and NP size, it is challenging to scale it up and collect these Se NPs from aqueous solution economically. Purposed to take the anti‐ROS advantage of Se NPs as well as to minimize its batch production limitation, Se‐doped ZnO NPs were attempted through a thermomechanical processing with ZnO precursors and Se metal powder 30,31 . Except for thermomechanical, Se‐doped ZnO NPs were also synthesized through seed‐mediated hydrothermal method, 32 electrochemical, 33 sol–gel precipitation method 34 .…”