Effect of zirconium doping on the structural, optical, electrochemical and antibacterial properties of ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

Abstract

Abstract The sol-gel approach has been used to synthesize Zn1-xZrxO (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.05) nanoparticles. Effect of Zr-doping on structural, optical, electrochemical, and antibacterial properties of ZnO nanoparticles is investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), and Photoluminescence (PL) analysis were used for the characterization of undoped and Zr-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Shifting of the absorption edge to lower wavelength and red-shift of the band gap are observed in UV–visible spectra of Zr-doped ZnO samples. Room temperature PL spectra exhibited band edge, violet, strong blue and green emission regardless of the concentration of doping, but intensity increased with levels of doping. Electrochemical performances towards uric acid individually and simultaneously were significantly affected by dopant and superior outcomes were acquired with the Zr-doped ZnO modified carbon paste electrode (MCPE). Antibacterial studies reveal that the Zr-doped ZnO nanoparticles possess improved antibacterial activity against both gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and the gram-negative (Klebsiella pneumonia) bacterial strains than the pure ZnO nanoparticles.