Synthesis, Characterization and Photocatalytic Application of Gd Doped ZnO Nanoparticles

Abstract

Zinc oxide and gadolinium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles were fabricated using sol-gel method in aqueous media by using sodium dodecyl sulphate as a surfactant. The nanoparticles were characterized by using TGA-DSC, XRD, SEM and TEM. Photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles was studied by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, which is an industrial pollutant and highly neurotoxic. The average particle size of nanoparticles calculated by TEM is 22 nm. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was observed under UV-radiation showed first order rate constant (k) is 0.1031, correlation constant (R²) is 0.9898 and percentage degradation is 26.146 %.