Effect of yttrium doping on the crystal structure, optical, and photocatalytic properties of hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanorods

The hydrothermal technique was utilized to fabricate yttrium doped ZnO nanorods (Y-doped ZnO). Various spectroscopic approaches were used to examine the effect of yttrium doping on the crystal structure, shape, energy bandgap, and photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanorods. The fact that Y-doped ZnO nanocatalysts had the same hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure and nanorod shape as like undoped ZnO, signifying that doped yttrium ions have no effect on the structural as well as morphological features of ZnO nanorods. By doping yttrium into the ZnO sites, the bandgap energy of the ZnO nanorods was significantly altered, and the photodegradation activity was improved. The absorption edge of the Y-doped ZnO nanorods was shifted towards the higher wavelengths and blue shift in bandgap was observed. It has been confirmed that yttrium doping increases the light sensitivity of ZnO in the visible region while providing several active charge transporters on the nanorods surface as well. The photocatalytic activity of Y-doped ZnO nanocatalysts was significantly increased by generated charge carriers. For doping concentrations of 1 %, 3 % and 5 %, the photodegradation activity of Y-doped ZnO nanorods is 71 %, 97 %, and 82 %, respectively, whereas the photodegradation efficiency of pure ZnO nanorods is 22 %. The photodegradation efficiency of ZnO:Y3 was found to be 4.4 times higher than the pristine ZnO nanorods. In addition to the photodegradation, the Y-doped ZnO nanorods are anticipated to offer a valued platform to the widespread applications in the field of photocatalysis like electrochemical water splitting, hydrogen production and supercapacitors.