Tri-doped co-annealed zinc oxide semi-conductor synthesis and characterization: photodegradation of dyes and gas sensing applications

Abstract

Despite the fact that much of the research has been performed on ZnO-based nanoparticles, still a lot of work is unexplored. The synthesis and characterization of the ZnO nanorods have been co-annealed using a simple combustion method and used for gas sensor and photocatalytic degradations applications. Herein pure and In, Sn and Sb tri-dopants were used, i.e. 0.5 at.wt% 1.0 at.wt% and 1.5 at.wt%, while their effects co-annealed on glass substrate at different temperatures at 500 °C and 1100° have been studied. These samples were coated onto the chosen substrate using spin coating technique. Crystallite scale was measured to the range of 30–50 nm. At such temperatures, the grain size measured for the samples was in range of 50–70 nm. This showed that the prepared nanorods are well crystalline and have strong optical properties to handle. Studies of X-ray diffraction showed the influential point (101). These coated samples designed for nitrogen gas sensing have been tested for the development of smart and functional instruments. Furthermore, it was observed that the samples prepared at higher temperatures exhibit better recovery and better reaction time. Valance ion process explains the gas sensors fast reaction and long recovery time. Thus prepared ZnO nanoparticles have photocatalytic degradation (99.86%) only in 55 min. We observed optimum exposure at an operating temperature of 105 °C. It is notable that morphology of susceptible layer nanoparticles is preserved based on different tri-doping concentrations. The concentration of T2-ZnO nanoparticles for photodegradation of the DR-31 dye and NO2 gas sensing applications were 1.0 at.wt%