Chemical Synthesis of ZnO:Er Nanorods for Photocatalytic H2 Evolution

Abstract

The growth of one-dimensional (1D) ZnO systems has been attaining ample engrossment because of their unique photocatalytic and optoelectronic properties. In this context, we synthesized the high-quality ZnO and ZnO:Er nanorods through an inexpensive and facile solvothermal route. Morphological studies revealed that the fabricated samples correspond to nanorods. Erbium ion substitution into the host ZnO matrix was affirmed via XRD and Raman analyses. XPS analysis proposed that Er ion substitution in the Zn (II) site occurred with trivalent Er ions. The trivial diminishing of the optical band gap with the incorporation of Er into the host matrix was assessed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) studies. The photoluminescence spectra of both fabricated NRs display two nodes at ultraviolet and red luminescence. The fluorescence efficiency of the ZnO NRs diminished after Er doping. The ZnO and ZnO:Er NRs were measured for H2 evolution by water splitting beneath the UV light illumination. The ZnO:Er illustrated the efficient H2 evolution ability (21311 μmol h−1 g−1) in 5 h, which is higher than that of ZnO. To analyze the attained engrossing H2 outcomes, electrochemical studies were also employed. Fortunately, this is the first-ever endeavor in H2 production of the ZnO:Er NRs.