Abstract:
ZnO, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% Ag decorated ZnO were successfully synthesized using
sol-gel method. The structural, morphological, surface and optical properties were
characterized by using spectroscopic (FTIR, XPS, UV-Vis), diffractometric
(XRD), and microscopic (SEM, TEM) techniques. The photocatalytic activity of
different percentages of Ag decorated ZnO was studied by analyzing the
degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye, and it is found that 1 % (w/w) Ag
decorated ZnO has high efficiency in photocatalytic degradation under UV light
and photo piezoelectric degradation and this observation is mainly because of the
Plasmon resonance of such particles. Further, X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that
Ag-decorated ZnO crystallizes in a hexagonal wurtzite structure.
