Abstract
Herein, we report a facile succinate mediated sonochemical method for the synthesis of ZnO nanorod photocatalysts doped with cerium. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), diffuse reflectance UV-visible (UV-Vis DRS) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, particle size distribution analysis and BET surface area analysis. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that as-synthesized nanostructures correspond to various planes of a single hexagonal ZnO phase. The pristine ZnO phase was retained up till 4at.% Ce-doping, however, on further increase in Ce concentration (6 and 8at.%) a separate cubic CeO2 phase appears. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photodegradation of hazardous crystal violet (CV) dye under sunlight irradiation. Among the tested samples, the sample with optimal doping concentration of 4at.% Ce exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity and achieved 99% degradation of CV dye within 100min of sun-light irradiation. This photocatalytic activity was found to be 3-fold excess as compared to that of commercial ZnO at identical experimental conditions.
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