N-doped ZnO: Efficient Photocatalyst for Decomposition of Methylene Blue

Abstract

Herein, we have synthesized nitrogen doped zinc oxide (N-ZnO) by using imidazole derivative as an organic precursor. The metal oxide nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The surface area and pore size distribution were also measured by the BET surface area analyzer. The enhanced surface area reveals that the synthesized materials have better active sites for the amputation of organic dyes. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was chosen to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of N-ZnO nanoparticles, with results indicating that the material exhibited higher activity towards the degradation of methylene blue.