Synergistic effect of rGO loading on Ni doped ZnO nanorods for enhanced photocatalytic performance

Abstract

Here, one dimensional nickel doped Zinc Oxide nanorods have been prepared by thermal decomposition of its acetate precursors. The dopant concentration of nickel are varied as 1wt%, 3wt%, 5wt%, 10wt% and their effect on the surface morphology, light harvesting ability, and ability to incorporate defects into ZnO matrix were studied by FESEM, UV-Vis, and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of as synthesized materials were investigated by degradation of a organic textile dye, Methyl Orange in the presence of UV light irradiation. It was found that 10% and 3% nickel doped ZnO exhibited the best and worst photocatalytic activity in comparison to undoped ZnO nanorods. To elucidate the effect of reduced graphene oxide in enhancing the photocatalytic activity the photocatalyst showing the worst photocatalysis was chosen to form nanocomposite. rGO-3% Ni –ZnO showed much enhanced photocatalysis than all other sample and almost 74% of the dye degraded in 75 min owing to the excellent adsorption characteristics and electron accepting property of graphene inhibiting electron-hole pair recombination in the nanocomposite.Here, one dimensional nickel doped Zinc Oxide nanorods have been prepared by thermal decomposition of its acetate precursors. The dopant concentration of nickel are varied as 1wt%, 3wt%, 5wt%, 10wt% and their effect on the surface morphology, light harvesting ability, and ability to incorporate defects into ZnO matrix were studied by FESEM, UV-Vis, and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of as synthesized materials were investigated by degradation of a organic textile dye, Methyl Orange in the presence of UV light irradiation. It was found that 10% and 3% nickel doped ZnO exhibited the best and worst photocatalytic activity in comparison to undoped ZnO nanorods. To elucidate the effect of reduced graphene oxide in enhancing the photocatalytic activity the photocatalyst showing the worst photocatalysis was chosen to form nanocomposite. rGO-3% Ni –ZnO showed much enhanced photocatalysis than all other sample and almost 74% of the dye degraded in 75 min owing to the excellent adsorpti...