Open AccessEffect of oxygen deficiency on vis‐light photocatalytic activity in AZO
Author(s) -
Sun Xiaohui,
Du Hong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2019.0166
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , materials science , visible spectrum , oxygen , band gap , diffuse reflectance infrared fourier transform , absorption spectroscopy , photochemistry , diffuse reflection , electron paramagnetic resonance , doping , zinc , transmission electron microscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , optics , catalysis , optoelectronics , nuclear magnetic resonance , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , engineering , metallurgy
Aluminium (Al)‐doped zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalyst with surface oxygen vacancies was synthesised by one‐step hydrothermal method. The oxygen vacancies drawn into ZnO surface by Al doping can effectively enhance visible (vis)‐light photocatalytic activity. The crystal structure, chemical composition and morphology of Al‐doped ZnO (AZO) photocatalysts were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The optical property was characterised by ultraviolet–vis diffuse reflectance spectra. High‐resolution TEM and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra mainly confirm the existence of oxygen vacancies on the ZnO surface. Oxygen vacancies result in a narrowing of the bandgap ( E g = 2.92 eV) and an increase in the vis‐light absorption of the sample. AZO sample exhibits good cycling stability, and no obvious decrease in the photocatalytic activity was observed even after four cycles.