Fast photocatalytic degradation of an organic dye and photoluminescent properties of Zn doped In(OH)3 obtainedby the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method

Abstract

Crystalline zinc-doped indium hydroxide structures were prepared by the rapid and efficient microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy were used to characterization the materials. FEG-SEM images revealed that pure In(OH)3 samples and Zn-doped samples exhibit nanocubic morphologies with a wide range of particle sizes. Relative intensities of PL emissions decreased as the Zn ion concentration increased from 0 to 4 mol%. UV-vis spectra indicate that Zn ion doping caused a band gap decrease with increased doping of 0% to 4% Zn, respectively, from 5.15eV for 4.96eV. Samples with Zn in the crystal lattices howed better photocatalytic activity and degradation of the RhB dye after 16 min of UV exposure.CAPESCNPq (141890/2013-4