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. 2022 Aug 4;12(15):2677.
doi: 10.3390/nano12152677.

Enhancement of Methylene Blue Photodegradation Rate Using Laser Synthesized Ag-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles

Damjan Blažeka  1 , Rafaela Radičić  1 , Dejan Maletić  1 , Sanja Živković  2 , Miloš Momčilović  2 , Nikša Krstulović  1
Affiliations

Enhancement of Methylene Blue Photodegradation Rate Using Laser Synthesized Ag-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles

Damjan Blažeka et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

In this work, Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles are obtained via pulsed laser ablation of the Ag-coated ZnO target in water. The ratio of Ag dopant in ZnO nanoparticles strongly depends on the thickness of the Ag layer at the ZnO target. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, XPS, SEM, EDS, ICP-OES, and UV-VIS spectrophotometry to obtain their crystal structure, elemental composition, morphology and size distribution, mass concentration, and optical properties, respectively. The photocatalytic studies showed photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation. Different ratios of Ag dopant in ZnO nanoparticles influence the photodegradation rate. The ZnO nanoparticles doped with 0.32% silver show the most efficient photodegradation rate, with the chemical reaction constant of 0.0233 min-1. It exhibits an almost twice as large photodegradation rate compared to pure ZnO nanoparticles, showing the doping effect on the photocatalytic activity.

Keywords: Ag-doped ZnO; ZnO nanoparticles; bicomponent nanoparticles; laser ablation in water; methylene blue; photocatalysis; photodegradation; pulsed laser deposition; silver dopant; zinc oxide.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Experimental scheme for the synthesis of Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles. (a) Pulsed laser deposition of Ag onto ZnO substrate (bulk), (b) two-layer target formed in PLD comprised of thin Ag film and ZnO bulk, (c) laser ablation of two-layer target in water and (d) Ag-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in (c).
Figure 2
Figure 2
SEM micrograph of (a) pure ZnO NP with (b) corresponding size-distribution with maximum at 53 nm. SEM micrograph of (c) Ag-doped ZnO NP with (d) corresponding size-distribution with maximum at 47 nm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
TEM images of pure ZnO NP (a,b) and Ag-doped ZnO NP (c,d).
Figure 4
Figure 4
XRD spectrum of ZnO NP (3000 pulses used for Ag deposition in PLD) and reference XRD spectral peaks of ZnO, Ag, AgO and Ag2O.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The shift of Ag-doped ZnO XRD peaks, with respect to the pure ZnO peaks.
Figure 6
Figure 6
XPS spectrum of Ag-doped ZnO NP (3000 pulses used for Ag deposition in PLD).
Figure 7
Figure 7
High-resolution spectra of Ag-doped ZnO NP (3000p used for Ag deposition in PLD) with fit spectra for (a) Zn 2p3/2, (b) Ag 3d, (c) O 1s and (d) C 1s.
Figure 8
Figure 8
XPS calculated Ag weight ratio in PLAL-synthesized Ag-doped ZnO NP, which is dependent on number of pulses used for Ag deposition in PLD synthesis of PLAL target.
Figure 9
Figure 9
ICP-OES calculated Ag weight ratio in PLAL-synthesized Ag-doped ZnO NP that is dependent on number of pulses used for Ag deposition in PLD synthesis of PLAL target.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Photoabsorbance spectrum of colloidal solutions of pure ZnO NPs and Ag-doped ZnO NPs synthesized with 1000 pulses in PLD.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Photocatalytic degradation of MB in PLAL-synthesized colloidal solution of Ag-doped ZnO NPs (1000p used for Ag deposition in PLD) under UV irradiation.
Figure 12
Figure 12
ln(C/C0) as a function of time for photocatalytic degradation of MB in different ZnO NP colloidal solutions under UV irradiation.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Photodegradation rate dependence on ICP-OES calculated Ag weight ratio in Ag-doped ZnO NPs.
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