Microwave-assisted synthesis of ZnO–Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ composites with enhanced visible light photocatalysis

• Main Authors: Liu, Xinjuan, Wang, Xiao-Jun, Li, Huili, Pan, Likun, Lv, Tian, Sun, Zhuo, Sun, Changqing
• Other Authors: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/96267; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/11537
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

ZnO–Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ composites were successfully synthesized via a microwave-assisted reaction of the ZnO precursor with a Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ suspension using a microwave synthesis system. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometer, and UV-vis absorption spectrophotometer. The results show that the introduction of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ can enhance the photocatalytic performance of ZnO with a maximum MB degradation rate of 93% under visible light irradiation compared with pure ZnO (13%) mainly due to the light down-converting effect of Y3Al5O12:Ce3+, which facilitates the self-sensitized destruction of MB.