Hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic properties of nitrogen-doped cobalt/cerium/ZnO nanocomposite

Abstract

In the present article, the hydrothermal method was used for the synthesis of nitrogen-doped ZnO/Co/Ce photocatalyst. The characterization techniques used to describe the ZnO nanocomposites were Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–visible spectroscopy (UV), photoluminescence (PL), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersion X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The PL spectroscopy was used to study the existence of various lattice defects with doping impact on the electron–hole recombination of the ZnO. The various peaks in the FTIR spectroscopy show the existence of their related functional groups. The EDX technique was used to examine the elemental composition of the samples. The XRD and TEM study was carried out to provide information about the crystal size range between 17.14 and 20.42 nm. The UV–vis spectroscopy was performed to elaborate the decreased energy band gap from 3.2 to 2.75 eV. SEM images were showing the tetragonal nanorod assembly. The analysis of BET results exhibits type 4 adsorption isotherm with a 2.47 nm pore diameter. The XPS spectroscopy was performed which shows the presence of Co, Ce, and N in prepared samples. The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite ZnO was analyzed against two different dyes in visible light. 91% and 76% of photocatalytic degradation have been achieved satisfactorily in the case of Congo red and methylene blue dyes respectively.

Graphical abstract