Synthesis of Cr3+ doped ZnO nano materials for visible light photocatalytic applications

Abstract

In this report, Cr3+ doped ZnO (ZnO:Cr3+) nanomaterials were synthesized by a sol-gel method. The surface morphology of the as-synthesized sample was examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), revealing the presence of ZnO:Cr3+ nanomaterials with a diameter between 50-200 nm. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) analysis confirmed the replacement of Cr3+ions into the Zn2+ ions position in the ZnO lattice. Furthermore, UV-Vis reflectance spectroscopy indicated that the absorption band edge of the ZnO:Cr3+ sample was redshifted compared to pure ZnO. The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO:Cr3+ nanomaterials was evaluated under visible light, demonstrating a 4.1-fold increase in the decomposition efficiency of methylene blue (MB) compared to ZnO sample. These results suggest that the synthesized ZnO:Cr3+ nanomaterials have a great potential for application in the dye decomposition under sunlight irradiation.