A simple method to prepare and characterize ZnO/V2O5 nanostructure thin films for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic uses in visible light

Abstract In this research, we investigated the enhancement of the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO nanorods by incorporating vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ). Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were initially prepared by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Subsequently, vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) nanoparticles, produced by laser ablation, were deposited onto the ZnO nanorods via drop casting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images verified that ZnO grew in the morphology of nanorods and nanotubes, while V 2 O 5 exhibited the structure of tree leaves and nanoparticles. The XRD technique was used to investigate the crystalline structure of the produced ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructure. The high band gap in ZnO limits the efficiency of photocatalysis under visible light. Building a core–shell structure with materials such as V 2 O 5 can boost their performance in such conditions. The prepared samples appeared photodegradation rate of the MB dye reached 39% after 9 h of exposure to visible light. The photoelectrochemical cell measurement of the prepared ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructures demonstrated a positive response to light and achieved a relatively high photoconversion efficiency of 0.084% at 0.35 V, surpassing the results of earlier investigations. The M-S analysis revealed that the ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructure thin films exhibited n-type conductivity, characterized by a negative flat band potential V FB .