https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-03667-1
Review
Synthesis and characterization of cadmium doped on ZnO thin films prepared by SILAR method for photocatalytic degradation properties of MB under UV irradiation
1
Department of Physics, Thanthai Hans Roever College (Autonomous), Perambalur, Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, 621 220, Trichy, India
2
Thin Film and Nanoscience Research Lab, Department of Physics, Alagappa Government Arts College, 621 220, Karaikudi, India
3
Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, Kongju National University, Budaedong 275, Seobuk-gu, 31080, Cheonan-si, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
4
Department of Physics, Government Arts and Science College, 621 116, Veppanthattai, Perambalur, India
Received:
9
May
2022
Accepted:
5
January
2023
Published online:
23
January
2023
The presented manuscript deals with the synthesis of uniformly coated nanocrystalline ZnO and Cd-doped ZnO thin films with various concentrations (1, 3, and 5 wt%) via the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The physical and chemical attributes of the prepared films were examined through certain analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM with EDS, UV, PL, and RAMAN spectroscopy. The XRD, SEM, and Raman results confirmed that Cd is successfully incorporated on the surface of ZnO. The optical properties of the films were analyzed from absorption studies of Cd:ZnO thin films. Furthermore, the estimated optical band gap values of the Cd:ZnO films decrease from 3.03 to 2.95 eV. The photocatalytic properties of the synthesized ZnO and Cd:ZnO thin films were investigated against the methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. The results of methylene blue photodegradation reached (49.6%) for ZnO films and (55.2%, 71.4%, and 82.5%) for Cd:ZnO films. Finally, this research suggests that the Cd:ZnO films exhibit better photocatalytic efficiency compared to the ZnO films.
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