Fabrication of In2O3 modified ZnO for enhancing stability, optical behaviour, electronic properties and photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production under visible light

Abstract

With the purpose of enhancing the stability, optical behaviour, electronic properties and photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production under visible light, ZnO has been modified by In2O3. The thriving modification of ZnO by In2O3 was confirmed from X-ray diffraction, DRUV-vis spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurement. DRUV-vis spectra showed that the optical absorption of ZnO was significantly enhanced to the visible region by modification with In2O3. TEM study confirmed that the particle size of ZnO was drastically reduced by the modification with In2O3 which helped to retard the recombination of charge carriers and enhanced the photocatalytic activity. Moreover, In2O3 modification greatly enhanced the stability of ZnO in aqueous medium which is a really challenging task in the photocatalytic chemistry of ZnO. All the In2O3 modified ZnO samples showed high photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production under visible light.