ENHANCED PHOTOCATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF Sn-DOPED ZnO NANOPARTICLES BY FLAME SPRAY PYROLYSIS UNDER UV LIGHT IRRADIATION

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is widely used in different areas thanks to its unique photocatalytic, optic and electrical properties. Sn doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized through flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) technique. The Sn dopant concentrations were 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 at. % in produced ZnO nanoparticles. The structural analysis of the produced powders was performed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) methods. The surface morphology and particle size distribution of the nanoparticles were identified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. In addition to this, produced photocatalysts were evaluated for degradation of aqueous methylene blue (MB) solutions under UV light irradiation. Sn-doped nanoparticles have superior photocatalytic activity compared to un-doped ZnO.

Keywords

• ZnO,Sn-doped,nanoparticles,photocatalysis,flame spray pyrolysis

References

1. Al-Hadeethi, Y., Umar, A., Al-Heniti, S. H., Kumar, R., Kim, S. H., Zhang, X., & Raffah, B. M. (2017). 2D Sn-doped ZnO ultrathin nanosheet networks for enhanced acetone gas sensing application. Ceramics International, 43(2), 2418-2423.
2. Andolsi, Y., Chaabouni, F., & Abaab, M. (2017). Sn doping effects on properties of ZnO thin films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering using a powder target. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics, 28(12), 8347-8358.
3. Aydin, H., El-Nasser, H. M., Aydin, C., Al-Ghamdi, A. A., & Yakuphanoglu, F. (2015). Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured undoped and Sn-doped ZnO thin films via sol–gel approach. Applied Surface Science, 350, 109-114.
4. Bae, S. Y., Na, C. W., Kang, J. H., & Park, J. (2005). Comparative structure and optical properties of Ga-, In-, and Sn-doped ZnO nanowires synthesized via thermal evaporation. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 109(7), 2526-2531.
5. Chahmat, N., Souier, T., Mokri, A., Bououdina, M., Aida, M. S., & Ghers, M. (2014). Structure, microstructure and optical properties of Sn-doped ZnO thin films. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 593, 148-153.
6. Demirci S., Dikici T., Yurddaskal M., Gultekin S., Toparli M., Celik E., Synthesis and characterization of Ag doped TiO2 heterojunction films and their photocatalytic performances Appl. Surf. Sci., 390 (2016), pp. 591-601.
7. Height, M. J., Mädler, L., Pratsinis, S. E., & Krumeich, F. (2006). Nanorods of ZnO made by flame spray pyrolysis. Chemistry of Materials, 18(2), 572-578.
8. Ismail, A. S., Mamat, M. H., Sin, N. M., Malek, M. F., Zoolfakar, A. S., Suriani, A. B., & Rusop, M. (2016). Fabrication of hierarchical Sn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays through sonicated sol−gel immersion for room temperature, resistive-type humidity sensor applications. Ceramics International, 42(8), 9785-9795.

9. Jia, X., Fan, H., Afzaal, M., Wu, X., & O’Brien, P. (2011). Solid state synthesis of tin-doped ZnO at room temperature: characterization and its enhanced gas sensing and photocatalytic properties. Journal of hazardous materials, 193, 194-199.
10. Kumar, E. S., Mohammadbeigi, F., Boatner, L. A., & Watkins, S. P. (2016). High resolution photoluminescence spectroscopy of Sn-doped ZnO single crystals. Journal of Luminescence, 176, 47-51.
11. Li, X., Chang, Y., & Long, Y. (2012). Influence of Sn doping on ZnO sensing properties for ethanol and acetone. Materials Science and Engineering: C, 32(4), 817-821.
12. Postica, V., Hoppe, M., Gröttrup, J., Hayes, P., Röbisch, V., Smazna, D., ... & Lupan, O. (2017). Morphology dependent UV photoresponse of Sn-doped ZnO microstructures. Solid State Sciences, 71, 75-86.
13. Rherari, A., Addou, M., Sofiani, Z., Jbilou, M., & Diani, M. (2017). Effect of lithium on linear and nonlinear optical properties of Sn-doped zinc oxide prepared by spray pyrolysis. In IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering (Vol. 186, No. 1, p. 012002). IOP Publishing.
14. Salman, S. A., Hazza, S. Q., & Abbas, S. J. (2017). Effect of Sn Doping on Structural and Electrical Properties of ZnO Thin Films Prepared by Chemical Spray Pyrolysis Method.
15. So, H. S., Hwang, S. B., Jung, D. H., & Lee, H. (2017). Optical and electrical properties of Sn-doped ZnO thin films studied via spectroscopic ellipsometry and hall effect measurements. Journal of the Korean Physical Society, 70(7), 706-713.
16. Sun, J. H., Dong, S. Y., Feng, J. L., Yin, X. J., & Zhao, X. C. (2011). Enhanced sunlight photocatalytic performance of Sn-doped ZnO for Methylene Blue degradation. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical, 335(1), 145-150.
17. Wu, C., Shen, L., Yu, H., Huang, Q., & Zhang, Y. C. (2011). Synthesis of Sn-doped ZnO nanorods and their photocatalytic properties. Materials Research Bulletin, 46(7), 1107-1112.
18. Zegadi, C., Abdelkebir, K., Chaumont, D., Adnane, M., & Hamzaoui, S. (2014). Influence of Sn Low Doping on the Morphological, Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Films Deposited by Sol Gel Dip-Coating. Advances in Materials Physics and Chemistry, 4(05), 93.