Preparation of Yb-doped ZnO nanoparticles by combustion method combined with high temperature calcination for photodegradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation

ABSTRACT

Yb-doped ZnO nanoparticles with different contents of Yb were prepared by a tartaric acid-assisted combustion method combined with high temperature calcination. TGA/DTA, XRD, TEM, XPS, Raman spectrophotometry, UV-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to determine calcination temperature, phase, morphology, vibrational mode, optical properties and atomic composition. In this research, Yb3+ ions substituted for Zn2+ ions containing in hexagonal ZnO structure. The samples were composed of nanoparticles with good particle-size distribution. Their photocatalytic activities were investigated through the degradation of methylene blue under visible radiation. The results demonstrated that Yb dopant can play the role in improving the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO and that Zn0.97Yb0.03O nanoparticles exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity of 96.78% within 100 min with ●O2– and ●OH as the main active radicals.

KEYWORDS:

• Tartaric acid-assisted combustion method
• Yb-doped Zno nanoparticles
• photocatalysis
• adsorption in the dark

Acknowledgements

The research was supported through the Faculty of Science Research Fund (contract no. 1-2564-02-003), Faulty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Faculty of Science Research Fund, Faulty of Science, Prince of Songkla University [1-2564-02-003].

Notes on contributors

Duangnet Laokae

Miss Duangnet Laokae is a Master of Science Degree student of Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand.

Anukorn Phuruangrat

Dr. Anukorn Phuruangrat is an Associate Professor at Division of Physical Science, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. He has 280 research articles published in international journals with h-index of 37.

Titipun Thongtem

Associate Professor Titipun Thongtem is an Expert of Materials Chemistry at Materials Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. She has over 380 articles published in international journals.

Somchai Thongtem

Dr. Somchai Thongtem is an Emeritus Professor of Materials Science at Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. He has over 400 articles published in international journals.