Production and Photoelectric Activity of P and Al Co-Doped ZnO Nanomaterials

• Published in: European journal of inorganic chemistry 2015-08, Vol.2015 (22), p.3708-3714
• Main Authors: Deng, Ya-Juan, Lu, Yi, Liu, Jin-Ku, Yang, Xiao-Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminium; Aluminum; Atomic properties; Combustion; Conducting materials; Doping; Nanostructures; Phosphorus; Photocatalysis; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 1434-1948; 1099-0682
• DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201500246

Materials that have both conductivity and photocatalytic activity are widely applied in electrical devices and as environmental pollution handles. Based on such requirements, phosphorus and aluminium co‐doped conductive zinc oxide nanocrystals (PAZO NCs) with novel visible‐light catalytic activities have been mass produced by the combustion method. The PAZO NCs have diameters of 30–100 nm and BET specific surface areas of 15.27–18.99 m2 g–1. These PAZO NCs exhibited novel photocatalytic activity and good conductivity [the powder conductivity was (0.98–1.76) ×10–4 S cm–1], the reason being mainly attributed to the increase in carrier concentration and defects through P and Al co‐doping. In addition, we found that the 3PAZO NCs, in which the molar ratio of Zn to P atoms is 100:3, had the best visible‐light catalytic efficiency of the PAZO NCs, and the size of PAZO NCs decreased with increasing doping of phosphorus and aluminium. This study is useful as a reference for the mass production of modified ZnO NCs and its applications, such as in environmental management, photocatalysis, and anti‐static electricity. Phosphorus and aluminium co‐doped conductive zinc oxide nanocrystals (PAZO NCs) with novel visible‐light catalytic activities have been mass produced by the combustion method. The size of PAZO NCs decreased with increasing doping of phosphorus and aluminium. The 3PAZO (molar ratio of Zn to P atoms is 100:3) NCs showed the best visible‐light catalytic efficiency of the PAZO NCs.