Aluminium doped zinc oxide grown on sand for photocatalytic application

ZnO and aluminum doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles grown on microscopic sand particles using the sol-gel method has been applied in the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue. The doping level was at 0.84 to 6.86 at.% Al with respect to Zn. The use of sand particles as template of ZnO nanoparticles was to enhance the effect by minimizing the agglomeration effect in loose nanoparticles. The doping levels were verified using X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The degradation of methylene blue dye solution was monitored using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity has decreased from 10.10 x 10-3 min-1 for ZnO to 7.90 x 10-3 min-1 for AZO 0.84 at. % of Al. Then, the photocatalytic activity has increased up to19.10 x 10-3 min-1 for AZO 3.42 at.% of Al before declining to 15.10 x 10-3 min-1 at 6.86 at.% of Al