Is 3% Eu3+ doping in ZnO unique? An investigative case study of photocatalytic descriptors using multiparameter approach

Abstract

The study focused on synthesizing Europium (Eu3+) doped ZnO hybrid materials using a hydrothermal method, aiming to create Eu3+: ZnO nanocomposites, which were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), & Tunneling electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The XRD pattern obtained verifies the successful incorporation of Europium (Eu3+) into Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) host matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed uniform distribution of ZnO, though agglomeration increased with higher Eu3+ concentrations. The photocatalytic efficiency of these nanocomposites was evaluated by degrading the antibiotic Rifampicin under UV–visible light, where the variant with 3 wt% Eu3+ showed the highest degradation rate (approximately 90% in 90 min). This suggests that the optimal doping concentration for enhanced photocatalytic activity is Eu3+: ZnO −3 wt%. Additional assessments using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Photocurrent Measurements, and UV-visible spectroscopy supported this finding, highlighting the peak efficiency at this specific doping level.