Fabrication and photocatalytic properties of Co doped ZnO nanomaterials

Co-doped ZnO nanocomposites have been prepared on polyethylene terephthalate-indium tin oxide (PET-ITO) flexible substrates using hydrothermal method. The effects of crystal structure, doping mechanism, as well as photocatalytic properties have been intensive investigated. Compared with pure ZnO, Co-ZnO has distinct photocatalytic activity with the degradation rate of 71.36% for methylene blue (MB) solution. The stable electronic structures and the possible electronic sites for Co elements in combination have been discussed with theoretical calculations. Meanwhile, the mechanism to enhance the photocatalytic activity of ZnO has been discussed.