Zn Oxide Research Articles

Effect of codoping of Zn and Ag on the spatial, optical and photocatalytic properties of cadmium oxide nanoparticles

The present article outlines the characterization of pure as well as Zn and Ag codoped cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles prepared via co-precipitation method. To characterize prepared samples, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Diffused Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies have been carried out. From XRD spectra, it has been observed that prepared samples are crystalline in nature due to presence of sharp diffraction peaks and their crystallite size lies in the range of 20–31 nm. From DRS technique, optical bandgap has been calculated and found that incorporation of Zn and Ag decrease bandgap of prepared samples from 2.45 eV to 2.23 eV as concentration of dopants are increasing. The examination of FESEM micrographs revealed the typical shape and particle size of prepared samples. The studies of XPS spectra allow identification of elements present and their respective chemical states. To study photocatalytic property of prepared samples, Crystal Violet (CV) dye has been used with sunlight as a source of radiation. It has been observed that degradation increases as we go from pure to codoped CdO and maximum of 98% degradation was obtained after 120 min of exposure to sunlight in case of codoped CdO. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency in case of codoped CdO suggests that prepared sample can be excellently used for water treatment applications. Scavenger test using Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) has been carried out for hydroxyl radical (•OH) and breakdown of dye molecules suggested that •OH play an important part in degradation.

Deciphering phase evolution in complex metal oxide thin films via high-throughput materials synthesis and characterization

Discovery of structure-property relationships in thin film alloys of complex metal oxides enabled by high-throughput materials synthesis and characterization facilities is demonstrated here with a case-study. Thin films of binary transition metal oxides (Ti–Zn) are prepared by pulsed laser deposition with continuously varying Ti:Zn ratio, creating combinatorial samples for exploration of the properties of this material family. The atomic structure and electronic properties are probed by spatially resolved techniques including x-ray absorption near edge structures (XANES) and x-ray fluorescence (XRF) at the Ti and Zn K-edge, x-ray diffraction, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The observed properties as a function of Ti:Zn ratio are resolved into mixtures of five distinguishable phases by deploying multivariate curve resolution analysis on the XANES spectral series, under constraints set by results from the other characterization techniques. First-principles computations based on density function theory connect the observed properties of each distinct phase with structural and spectral characteristics of crystalline polymorphs of Ti–Zn oxide. Continuous tuning of the optical absorption edge as a function of Ti:Zn ratio, including the unusual observation of negative optical bowing, exemplifies a functional property of the film correlated to the phase evolution.

Impact of ZnSO and ZnO Nanoparticles on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Lettuce

Micronutrient nanoparticles (NPs) are currently an option for chemical fertilization and biostimulation in crops. However, there is little information on the phytotoxic or biostimulatory effects of NPs at low concentrations of some elements, such as Zn. In this study, the effect of low concentrations of Zn oxide (ZnO) NPs on germination, growth variables, and nutritional attributes of lettuce (<i>Lactuca sativa</i> L.) was evaluated in comparison to Zn sulfate. Romaine lettuce seeds were treated with ZnSO<sub arrange="stack">4</sub><sup arrange="stack">--</sup> × 7H₂O and ZnO NPs at Zn molar concentrations of 1 × 10⁻³, 5 × 10⁻³, 1 × 10⁻⁴, 5 × 10⁻⁴, 1 × 10⁻⁵, 5 × 10⁻⁵, 1 × 10⁻⁶, and 5 × 10⁻⁶. The seeds treated with ZnSO<sub arrange="stack">4</sub><sup arrange="stack">−</sup> at 5 × 10⁻⁶ registered the highest radicle length, 73% more than the control treatment. The seeds treated with ZnSO<sub arrange="stack">4</sub><sup arrange="stack">−</sup> at 5 × 10⁻³ registered the lowest values, with 50% less than the control treatment. ZnO NPs at 5 × 10⁻⁶ significantly increased content of chlorophyll A and B and total phenolics. These results indicate the possible existence of a mechanism related to the intrinsic nanoparticle properties, especially at low concentrations.

Nutrient Dynamics in Acid Sulfate Soil Treated with Dolomite and Micronutrient Fertilizers and Their Effects on the Growth of Lowland Rice

The development of acid sulfate soils for agriculture is limited by high soil acidity, high soluble Fe, and low available P, base cation, and micronutrient contents. Therefore, the application of dolomite and micronutrient fertilizer is required to improve soil and rice productivity. This study aimed to determine the effect of dolomite and Cu and Zn fertilizer on the dynamics of nutrient availability in acid sulfate soils and their effect on the growth, nutrient uptake, and yield of rice. The study was conducted in a greenhouse and arranged in a completely randomized design with 13 treatments and 5 replications. The application of various doses of micronutrient fertilizer containing Cu and Zn oxide was compared with the control and dolomite application treatments. NPK as a basal fertilizer was applied according to the recommended dose for all treatments. The results showed that the application of micronutrient fertilizer and 3 tons ha-1 dolomite effectively increased the availability of P nutrient from 13.5 to 58.3 pp and decreased the potential for iron toxicity. Furthermore, applying 6 tons ha-1 dolomite, combined with 2 tons ha-1 organic fertilizer, and 6 ml l-1 micronutrient fertilizer resulted in the highest grain yield of 91.65 g pot-1 with an increase of 19%. Meanwhile, the application of 3 tons ha-1 dolomite and a combination of 3 tons ha-1 dolomite + 2 tons ha-1 organic matter could reduce 20-30% of iron uptake by plant roots. Application of dolomite and micronutrient fertilizers increases the productivity of soil and rice on acid sulfate soils.

Influence of Ti, Zn and Fe oxide nanoparticles on seed germination capability, photosynthetic pigment content and activity of photosystem II Triticum aestivum L.

Influence of Ti, Zn and Fe oxide nanoparticles on seed germination capability, photosynthetic pigment content and activity of photosystem II Triticum aestivum L.

Enhanced resilience of marine fish to extreme environments by nano-ZnO exposure

Marine hydrosphere is in grave danger if extreme weather conditions, such as high temperatures and heat waves, become the norm.

Functional Nanocomposites Based on Metal Oxides and a Hyperbranched Polymer for the Synthesis of Methanol from CO2

A synthetic approach to the composites based on mesoporous aluminum oxide coated with a thermally stable aromatic branched polymer (Al2O3–PPP, Al2O3–Fe3O4–PPP) is developed that provides reliable stability to Zn and Cr oxide nanoparticles. The presence of a thermally stable hydrophobic polymer layer on the surface of aluminum oxide is shown to facilitate the creation of efficient catalysts for the synthesis of methanol from CO2, which can work at elevated temperatures and pressures.

Litter quality and incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis in heat stressed broiler chickens fed supplemental zinc

In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary Zn supplementation on growth performance, serum Zn concentration, litter quality attributes, and occurrence of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens subjected to chronic heat stress. The study was conducted using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary Zn oxide supplementation (0 and 70 mg/kg) and temperature (thermoneutral and chronic heat stress) in a completely randomized design. Five hundred forty-four 1-d-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 4 experimental treatments with 8 replicate pens per treatment having 17 chickens in each replicate pen. Broiler chickens were fed corn-soybean meal-based basal diets for starter (0 to 10 d), grower (10 to 24 d), and finisher (24 to 42 d) growth periods with or without 70 mg/kg supplemental Zn oxide. Growth performance was recorded in terms of body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Serum Zn concentration and occurrence of footpad dermatitis were evaluated at d 14, d 28, and d 42 of experiment. Litter quality attributes were measured at d 1 and d 42 of the experiment except ammonia volatilization that was measured at d 28 and d 42 of the experiment. There was no interaction between dietary Zn and temperature for growth performance, serum Zn concentration, litter quality, and occurrence of FPD. Dietary Zn supplementation had no effect on overall growth performance, serum Zn, and litter quality of broiler chickens. However, supplemental Zn reduced the occurrence of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens at the end of experiment (P < 0.05). Broiler chickens subjected to heat stress had lower overall BWG (P = 0.002) and FI (P = 0.001). Serum Zn concentrations were similar regardless of the temperature. Chronic heat stress increased the litter pH (P = 0.001), moisture (P < 0.001), temperature (P < 0.001) at d 42, and ammonia volatilization at d 28 (P < 0.001) and d 42 (P < 0.001). Incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis was greater in broiler chickens subjected to chronic heat stress (P < 0.01). Findings of our study indicate that heat stress results in poor growth performance and increases the incidence and severity of footpad dermatitis by lowering the litter quality in broiler chickens. In addition, dietary Zn supplementation may lower the occurrence of footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens without affecting the growth performance, serum Zn, and litter quality.

Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of copper-based catalysts for the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction: Effect of ultrasound irradiation, precursor concentration and calcination temperature

The reduction of high CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere is an imperative task to reduce the consequences of the greenhouse effect on our planet. Developing active and selective materials for electrochemical CO2 reduction towards value-added products is mandatory to bring this technology to a practical application. This work studied the effect of assisting Cu and Zn oxides co-precipitation with sonochemistry. Different factors were investigated: the ultrasounds (US) amplitude, the effect of US irradiation time during either precipitation or ageing processes, the precursor concentration and calcination temperature. The synthesised catalysts were tested for the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction in a Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE) system. Faradaic efficiencies >14% towards alcohols were obtained using US-assisted synthesised Cu-based catalysts. Instead, with the US-prepared Cupper-Zinc-based catalysts, the selectivity towards H2 and C1 products (CO and formate) was improved, and the syngas productivity was increased by > ⁓1.4-fold compared to the non-sonicated one. The alcohols production of the best Cu-catalyst was also confirmed on scalable electrodes. Controlling the synthesis conditions allowed to tune the physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles, including specific surface area, porosity, crystallite size and phases. Mesoporous materials with a mean pores size of around 25 nm were found to induce a better CO2 diffusion and CO retention time in the porous network, improving the *CO intermediate adsorption at active sites, promoting its dimerisation and thus enhancing the selectivity towards C2+ alcohols. The here reported results open the way for new electrocatalysts designs with properly tuned porosity for the selective CO2 conversion to different valuable products.

Development of selective gas sensors using nanomaterials obtained by sol-gel process

Developed technology for producing gas-sensitive thin films based on oxides of zinc, titanium and tungsten using the sol-gel process. The relationship of the sol-gel technology of forming semiconductor gas-sensitive films based on TEOS and metal oxides of Zn, Ti, W. the influence of various factors on the properties of the solution on the basis of TEOS with or without dopants were studied. It is established that taking into account the stability of the solution and solubility of the components of the hydrolyzate in the solvent during the synthesis of gas-sensitive films based on oxides of Zn, Ti and W it is advantageous to use ethanol.

Assemblage of Fe–Mg–Al–Ti–Zn Oxides in Granulites of the Bunger Hills, East Antarctica: Evidence of Ultrahigh-Temperature Metamorphism

Assemblage of Fe–Mg–Al–Ti–Zn Oxides in Granulites of the Bunger Hills, East Antarctica: Evidence of Ultrahigh-Temperature Metamorphism

Speciation and isotopic analysis of zinc in size-fractionated aerosol samples related to its source and chemical processes

Zinc (Zn) in aerosols plays important roles for biological activity and attracts public attention from the perspective of environmental measures. Because of its high volatility and water solubility, Zn is readily released into the atmosphere by human activities and supplied to natural water. To explore the origin and formation process of Zn in atmospheric aerosols, it is important to investigate isotopic (= δ66Zn) and speciation information of Zn in size-fractioned aerosols. We measured light δ66Zn (e.g., δ66ZnIRMM = −1.32‰ as the lowest value; IRMM-3702 is used for the normalization in this study) mainly for the particles ranging from 0.65 to 4.7 μm for the samples collected at Tsukuba, Chiba, and a motorway tunnel (Yasumiyama Tunnel in Hiroshima) in particular for the samples collected in 2002, but δ66ZnIRMM in the particle sizes increased above −0.8‰ for the samples collected in 2011 and 2016. Zn species in aerosols were estimated based on X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, suggesting that (i) Zn oxalate and sulfate and (ii) Zn oxide, sulfide, and carbonate are main Zn species in fine and coarse particles, respectively. In particular, Zn chloride was found mainly in the middle particle size range (2.1–4.7 μm), which corresponds to the range with light δ66Zn, suggesting that the light δ66Zn was caused by emission of Zn chloride during artificial combustion processes in accordance with other studies. The origins of Zn in aerosols are assumed to have three endmembers; (A) tire and brake wears and road dust, (B) industrial emissions, and (C) vehicular exhaust. Their formation mechanisms are related to vaporization and mixing processes based on the results of combined analysis of atmospheric concentration, speciation, and isotopic composition of Zn with different particle sizes. These trends could be successfully interpreted by species-specific δ66Zn values: component (A) consisting mainly of Zn oxide and sulfide with relatively heavier δ66Zn, component (B) Zn chloride and sulfate secondarily formed in the droplet mode having lightest δ66Zn among all the species, and (C) Zn oxalate with δ66Zn closer to 0‰ due to its emission by the complete combustion in vehicle engines. Species-specific Zn isotope data obtained by the simultaneous application of speciation and isotopic analyses of Zn in size-fractionated aerosols complementary provide novel information on the initial generation and secondary processes for the formation of Zn species in the aerosols.

Kinetics of Zn–C Battery Leaching with Choline Chloride/Urea Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents

A choline chloride/urea natural deep eutectic solvent (ChCl NADES) was prepared via a green chemistry method and used to leach Zn and Mn oxides from conventional Zn–C scrap batteries. FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy were used to characterize the NADES. The leaching kinetics of the Zn and Mn oxides was monitored at isothermal conditions (80, 100, 125, and 150 °C) and at two solid/NADES ratios: 3.3 and 10 g dm−3. It was possible to dissolve Zn and Mn oxides under all of tested conditions, reaching more than a 95% recovery for both metals at 150 °C after 90 min, whereas, at 25 °C, it was possible to leach up to 90% of the Zn and 30% of the Mn after 4320 min (72 h). Furthermore, the leaching kinetics was controlled by the boundary layer, coincident with a shrinking core model. According to the Arrhenius plot, the activation energy for Zn ranges from 49.13 to 52.21 kJ mol−1, and that for Mn ranges from 46.97 to 66.77 kJ mol−1.

High Retention Immobilization of Iodine in B-Bi-Zn Oxide Glass Using Bi2O3 as a Stabilizer under a N2 Atmosphere.

The immobilization of iodine waste suffers from serious iodine loss during heat treatment. Herein, we reported on the high iodine retention immobilization of simulated radioiodine-contaminated Bi0-SiO2 sorbent in B-Bi-Zn oxide glass using Bi2O3 as a stabilizer under a N2 atmosphere. The effects of the Bi2O3 content and sintering atmosphere on the iodine immobilization behaviors (iodine retention ratio, phase composition, microstructure, and chemical stability) were investigated. It was found that the decomposition of BiI3 was prevented by adding Bi2O3 and sintering in a N2 atmosphere. The iodine retention ratio in the obtained glass waste form was significantly enhanced with increasing Bi2O3 content and sintering in the N2 atmosphere due to the synergistic effect. The achieved record-high iodine retention (92.22 ± 2.6%) was much higher than that of conventional heat treatment route (18.01 ± 3.5%). The results demonstrated that iodine was effectively immobilized through the formation of stable BixOyI (Bi5O7I and BiOI). Furthermore, the obtained iodine waste form exhibited excellent compactness and chemical stability. Owing to its high iodine retention ratio, this route can be employed to effectively immobilize radioactive iodine.

Metagenomics indicates abundance of biofilm related genes and horizontal transfer of multidrug resistant genes among bacterial communities in nano zinc oxide polluted soil

The unsafe and reckless disposal of metal oxide nanoparticles like ZnO (nZnO) into the soil could seriously impact bacterial behavioural responses and functions. Under such stress, biofilm formation is considered to be a robust mechanism for bacterial survival in soil. We examined the response of bacterial metagenomes in soils exposed to varying levels of Zn (50, 200, 500 and 1000 mg kg−1) as nano Zn oxide (nZnO) in terms of biofilm genesis and regulation and their co-occurrences with multidrug resistance genes (MDRGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The size-specific effects of nZnO were verified using its bulk counterpart (bZnO). Both nZnO and bZnO facilitated profusion of biofilm related genes (BGs) especially at higher Zn levels (500 and 1000 mg kg−1 Zn), though maximum abundance was registered at a comparatively lower level under nZnO. In general, nZnO favoured an enhancement of genes involved in exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and attachment, while bZnO favoured genes related to capsule formation, chemotaxis and biofilm dispersion. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed significant positive correlations between abundances of BGs, MDRGs and MGEs, indicating an enhanced probability for horizontal gene transfer of MDRGs in nZnO polluted soils.

Bioavailability of Different Zinc Sources in Pigs 0-3 Weeks Post-Weaning.

The bioavailability of dietary zinc (Zn) in pigs may differ according to the Zn source and is affected by other components in the diet. The aim was to determine the biomarkers of Zn bioavailability (apparent total tract digestibility of Zn and serum Zn status) following six different sources of added Zn and their effect on the performance and faecal consistency score in piglets 0-3 weeks after weaning on day 28. The sources of Zn were Zn oxide (ZnO), Zn sulfate (ZnSO4), porous ZnO, Zn-glycinate, amino acid-bound Zn and hydroxy covalent-bound Zn added at 100 mg/kg (ZnO and ZnSO4 also added at 1000 mg/kg), in a total of eight treatments (n = 12/treatment). Pigs were individually housed, and titanium dioxide was included as an indigestible marker in the feed. The digestibility of Zn on day 14 post-weaning was negative for all six Zn sources at 100 mg Zn/kg, indicating insufficient Zn supply. The digestibility of Zn differed according to the Zn source, but the digestibility of Zn from ZnO and ZnSO4 did not differ between processed inorganic or chelated organic sources of Zn. However, the differences in Zn digestibility between Zn sources were not reflected as differences in the serum Zn status, feed intake, gain or probability of diarrhoea.

Improved efficacy of foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles on zinc biofortification, primary productivity and secondary metabolite production in dragonhead

Improving medicinal plants' performance in semi-arid regions facing climate change could support sustainable food and agriculture production. Nano-fertilization is considered an emerging strategy for increasing plant production, while avoiding agroecosystem contamination. The objective of this study was to evaluate potential beneficial effects of foliar applications of two sources of zinc (Zn oxide nanoparticles [ZnONPs] as a novel nano-fertilizer and Zn suspension [ZnS] as a conventional fertilizer) on Zn biofortification, primary productivity (biomass) and secondary metabolite production in a medicinally important dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) under semi-arid conditions. After 60- and 74-day post-planting, the desired fertilizers were sprayed on to plant foliage. The results showed that leaf Zn bioaccumulation, total chlorophyll, and total flavonoids increased in a dose-dependent manner for both Zn compounds. Sub-toxic levels of Zn-based NPs uptake (up to on average 152.6 mg Zn/kg upon foliar treatment with 160 mg ZnONPs treatment) led to stimulatory effects on total chlorophyll (0.93 g/kg FW), shoot biomass (2168 kg/ha), and essential oil content (3.4 g/kg) and yield (7.4 kg/ha) compared to ZnS treatment or control. The levels of secondary metabolites including neral, geraniol and geranial increased significantly with 160 mg/L ZnONPs compared to equivalent concentration of ZnS or control. The TEM analyses of leaf ultrastructure revealed changes in cellular organelles at 400 mg/L ZnONPs, likely a result of higher oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and H2O2). Higher efficacy of ZnONPs will support greater economic return for dragonhead growers and curtail environmental pollution. Foliar application of 160 mg/L ZnONPs is recommended for optimal micronutrient Zn biofortification, biomass production and essential oil yield in dragonhead, and may serve as a sustainable strategy to promote agricultural yield in (semi-) arid regions.

Enhancement of xanthate adsorption on lead-modified and sulfurized smithsonite surface in the presence of ammonia

The contribution of ammonia to the sulfurization of Cu and Zn oxide minerals has been widely investigated, but the practical role of ammonia in the xanthate adsorption that directly determines the flotation of minerals has not been clearly confirmed. In this work, the promotion performance of NH3·H2O for xanthate adsorption onto the smithsonite surface was visually exhibited through adsorption density detection and the relating adsorption mechanism was revealed in terms of adsorption behavior and structure. Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy tests showed that NH3·H2O treatment significantly increased the adsorption density of xanthate, with an increasing value of approximately 0.52 mg/m2 on the smithsonite surface at the initial xanthate concentration of 300 mg/L. With NH3·H2O treatment, the zeta potential of smithsonite particles increased, which was attributed to the chemisorption of Zn–NH3 complex cations on the mineral surface; such increased potential enhenced the proximity and adsorption probability for xanthate anions on the mineral surface through electrostatic attraction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis indicated that Pb–xanthate was the main xanthate product chemisorbed onto the Pb-modified and sulfurized smithsonite surface; NH3·H2O effectively increased the number of Pb sites on the surface and facilitated the transformation of the Pb(II)–S state to the Pb(II) xanthate state, resulting in an increase of Pb–xanthate content on smithsonite surface. Thus, NH3·H2O improved the hydrophobicity and increased the flotation recovery of smithsonite by approximately 10% in the Pb ion-modified sulfurization–xanthate system.

Using coupled Ni and Zn oxides based on ZIF8 as efficient electrocatalyst for OER

In the present work, we report the synthesis and characterization of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline medium constructed using Ni and/or Co oxides dispersed on Zn oxide based on the zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF8) operated through a combined application of solvothermal and calcination methods. Once subjected to calcination, the calcined, solvothermally treated Ni/ZIF8, named Ni/ZIF8-900A composite, recorded the most impressive improvement in OER electrocatalytic activity among the electrocatalysts synthesized in this study. Ni/ZIF8-900A recorded an overpotential (η) of 0.34 V at 10 mA cm−2; this was the same value obtained for RuO2 and was relatively close to the value obtained for IrO2 (0.29 V) - both widely regarded as state-of-the-art electrocatalysts. Long-term electrochemical tests revealed that Ni/ZIF8-900A had a negligible loss in electrocatalytic activity, demonstrating its high electrocatalytic efficiency in OER in alkaline medium. The physicochemical characterization of the Ni/ZIF8-900A composite showed that the catalyst is characterized by overlapping and merged structures of ZnO and Ni0.8Zn0.2O, as well as a high Ni content on its surface (Ni(1):Zn(2) in %w/w) in comparison with the Ni content in the bulk composition (Ni(1):Zn(14) in %w/w). The large amount of Ni3+ on the Ni/ZIF8-900A surface (before and after the stability tests) and the presence of N atoms bonded to the metals were found to be responsible for the improved OER activity of the electrocatalyst. The electrochemical results showed that when exposed to oxidative potentials during OER experiments, the surface structure of the Ni oxide/oxyhydroxide-enriched Ni/ZIF8-900A catalyst is activated. The outstanding OER electroactivity of the Ni/ZIF8-900A composite can be attributed to surface activation fueled by oxide formation, which resulted in an increase in active surface area along the composite and caused a possible displacement of Ni3+ states to Ni4+ states on the oxides formed.

Fabrication of polyhedral Cu–Zn oxide nanoparticles by dealloying and anodic oxidation of German silver alloy for photoelectrochemical water splitting

A significant effort has been dedicated to the synthesis of Cu–Zn oxide nanoparticles as a robust photocathode material for photoelectrochemical water splitting. Cu–Zn oxide nanoparticles were formed by controlled anodization of German silver (Cu–Zn–Ni) alloy in an aqueous electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrates the dependence of the obtained nanostructures on the anodization time. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed the formation of copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with good stability. This was also confirmed by the compositional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The obtained polyhedral nanoparticles showed high optical activity with adequate bandgap energy. These optimized nanoparticles achieved boosted photocurrent of − 0.55 mA/cm2 at − 0.6 V vs. SCE under AM 1.5 illumination, confirming the role of the optimized dealloying and thermal treatment in tuning the photoelectrochemical performance of the material.