RUTHENIUM DOPED ZnO SEMICONDUCTOR: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PHOTODEGRADATION OF AZO DYE

Abstract

Ruthenium doped zinc oxide was synthesized by a simple sol–gel method via ultrasonication. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and UV-visible spectroscopy techniques and tested for the feasibility as a heterogeneous photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity of Ru doped ZnO was tested using an azo dye, congo red (CR) in an aqueous solution, as a model compound. For comparison, the photocatalytic activity of pure ZnO was also performed. The parameters studied include the effect of initial CR concentration, photocatalyst weight and charge transfer phenomenon. The observed reaction mechanism was rationalized based on the elementary chemical reaction occurring in the irradiated heterogeneous reaction mixture. Total mineralization of CR was observed for both pure and Ru doped ZnO system. However, the photocatalytic activity of Ru doped ZnO was found to be higher than that of a pure ZnO .