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Evaluation of structural, optical properties and photocatalytic activity of Ag2O coated ZnO nanoparticles

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Abstract

The presence of composite in the nanofluid resultant is essential to provide a significant methylene blue (MB) removal property in industrial waste water. Silver oxide (Ag2O) nanoparticles (NPs) placed over zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs had a significant increase in photocatalytic activity. The Ag2O NPs doped ZnO NPs were synthesised in the current study by utilising Millingtonia hortensis flower extract and a simple green synthesis procedure. The floral extract is a fantastic reducing and stabilizing agent. ZnO has been doped along with Ag2O Nanofluid (NF) (volumes of ZnO 10 ml, 15 ml, 20 ml, and 25 ml). The crystalline nature of the produced material was investigated using powder XRD analysis. To confirm the presence of silver in nanofluids, the EDAX spectrum and UV–Vis spectral analysis were employed. The EDAX spectrum established the materials’ compositions, while the FESEM analysis revealed the various surface morphologies of the generated materials. ZnO/Ag2O (NPs) catalysts degraded the organic dye MB. ZnO/Ag2O NPs (25 ml Ag2O NF) degrade at a rate of 63 percent after 120 min of irradiation, due to their large surface area. The typical particle size of synthesised nanoparticles is 16–17 nm. The photocatalytic activities are enhanced when particles from the flower are extracted, according to the characterization data.

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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thanks the department of chemistry, Vellalar College of engineering and technology, Erode, Department of Mechanical engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Department of chemistry, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore and Centre for environmental research, Kongu Engineering College, Erode for providing the necessary facility to complete the research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science (Autonomous), Thiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, 637 215, India

    R. Suganya

  2. Department of Chemistry, Centre for Environmental Research, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, 638060, India

    A. Revathi

  3. Department of Chemistry, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 407, India

    D. Sudha

  4. School of Mechanical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

    V. Sivaprakash

  5. Department of Physics, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 407, India

    E. Ranjith Kumar

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Suganya, R., Revathi, A., Sudha, D. et al. Evaluation of structural, optical properties and photocatalytic activity of Ag2O coated ZnO nanoparticles. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 33, 23224–23235 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-022-09086-9

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