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Effect of Ca-doping on microstructure and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol gel method

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Abstract

We report the synthesis of Zn1−xCaxO nanoparticles prepared by a sol–gel processing technique for x ranging from 0 to 0.05. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction, transition electron microscopy, UV measurements, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoactivity of the Ca-doping ZnO photocatalysts was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye. The structural properties showed that the obtained nanoparticles are in wurtzite single crystalline phase and no secondary phases were detected which indicated that Ca substituted Zn ions. The absorption edge of the prepared photocatalysts is clearly shifted to the visible region as compared to undoped ZnO. The study of the effect of Ca loading on the photocatalytic activity shows that the Zn0.96Ca0.04O is the most photoactive. The effect of some parameters such as catalyst loading, initial dye concentration and light intensity were investigated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Recherche Catalyse et Matériaux pour l’Environnement et les Procédés URCMEP (UR11ES85), Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Campus Universitaire Cité Erriadh, 6072, Gabès, Tunisia

    R. Slama & A. Houas

  2. Laboratoire de Physique des Matériaux et des Nanomatériaux Appliquée à l’Environnement, Faculté des Sciences de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Campus Universitaire Cité Erriadh, 6072, Gabès, Tunisia

    J. El Ghoul, K. Omri & L. El Mir

  3. Department of Physics, College of Sciences, Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, 11623, Saudi Arabia

    J. El Ghoul, A. Houas & L. El Mir

  4. Laboratoire Réactivité de Surfaces, UPMC-LRS (UMR CNRS 7197), Casier 178, Site Le Raphaël/3, rue Galilée, 94200, Ivry-sur-Seine, France

    F. Launay

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  1. R. Slama
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  2. J. El Ghoul
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  3. K. Omri
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  4. A. Houas
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  5. L. El Mir
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  6. F. Launay
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Correspondence to R. Slama.

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Slama, R., El Ghoul, J., Omri, K. et al. Effect of Ca-doping on microstructure and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol gel method. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 7939–7946 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4786-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-016-4786-9

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