title: Synthesis and enhancement of photocatalytic activities of ZnO by silver nanoparticles.
abstract: Herein, we reports synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under natural sunlight using zinc oxide and Ag-ZnO composite. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared by simple wet chemical method using ethanol-water mixture. Ag-ZnO composite was prepared in two steps by dispersing synthesized ZnO in silver nitrate solution and subsequently reducing it with Ocimum tenuiflorum leaves extract as bioreducing agent. The synthesized bare zinc oxide and Ag-ZnO composite was characterized by various techniques like XRD, DRS, FE-SEM, TEM, SAED, PSD, Zeta potentials, etc. Zinc oxide being wide band gap material can absorbs UV light from solar spectrum which is only 5% so is not efficient material for dye degradation under sunlight. The absorption of visible light was increased by preparing the Ag-ZnO composite. The enhancement in photocatalytic activities of Ag-ZnO composite was observed than bare ZnO. This enhancement is due to shift of absorption edge of ZnO in visible region and decrease in band gap.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004, MS, India.
authors.forename: Rupali S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004, MS, India.
authors.forename: Mangesh R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kokate
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004, MS, India; Inorganic Nanomaterial Laboratories, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dipak V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Shinde
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004, MS, India. Electronic address: kolekarss2003@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sanjay S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kolekar
authors.affiliation: Inorganic Nanomaterial Laboratories, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D065966:Absorption, Physicochemical; D002384:Catalysis / Q000528:radiation effects; D008027:Light; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012235:Rhodamines; D012834:Silver; C029773:rhodamine B; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: Ag–ZnO composite; Photocatalytic activity; Rh B; ZnO