title: Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue with Fe doped ZnS nanoparticles.
abstract: Fe doped ZnS nanoparticles (Zn1-xFexS; where x=0.00, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10) were synthesized by a chemical precipitation method. The synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectrometer. The X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope studies show that the size of crystallites is in the range of 2-5 nm. Photocatalytic activities of ZnS and 3, 5 and 10 mol% Fe doped ZnS were evaluated by decolorization of methylene blue in aqueous solution under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. It was found that the Fe doped ZnS bleaches methylene blue much faster than the undoped ZnS upon its exposure to the visible light as compared to ultraviolet light. The optimal Fe/Zn ratio was observed to be 3 mol% for photocatalytic applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Sant Longowal Institute of Engg. & Tech., Longowal 148 106, India. ruby.chauhan74@yahoo.in
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Ashavani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Ram Pal
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Chaudhary
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D003460:Crystallization; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D010782:Photolysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D017785:Photons; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013997:Time Factors; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D007501:Iron; C031238:zinc sulfide; D008751:Methylene Blue
keywords: Nanoparticle; Photocatalysis; Scanning electron microscope; Transmission electron microscope