Phosphorus containing ZnO microparticles synthesized and studying physico-chemical features

The semiconductor metal oxides such as TiO۲, ZnO, CuO and SmFeO۳ revealappropriate photocatalytic activities due to their optical and electronic properties, low cost,chemical stability and non-toxicity [۱]. SmFeO۳ is a rare-earth perovskite metal oxide which hasbeen utilized in various areas [۳]. CuO is one of the most important p-type semiconductors witha narrow band gap in the range of ۱.۲–۱.۹ eV which displays photoconductivity, field emissionand photovoltaic properties [۴]. A hybrid nanocomposite was synthesized using SmFeO۳ andCuO in ۱:۱۰ wt.% which was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, EDS, DRS, and UV-Visanalyses. The XRD pattern of CuO nanocrystal reveals that all of the diffraction peaks wereperfectly indexed to the monoclinic CuO structure (JCPDS file no. ۵-۰۶۶۱). Also, the XRDpattern of SmFeO۳ nanocrystal indicated the lattice planes of (۱۰۱), (۱۱۱), (۲۰۰), (۱۲۱), (۰۰۲),(۱۱۲), (۲۲۰), (۲۰۲), (۲۱۲), (۳۱۱), (۱۲۳) and (۲۴۲) attributed to the sharp diffraction peaks areobserved at ۲θ=۲۲.۸۲, ۲۵.۶۱, ۳۱.۹۶, ۳۲.۶۶, ۳۴.۰۴, ۳۸.۸۴, ۳۹.۸۵, ۴۶.۷۳, ۴۸.۳۹, ۵۳.۲۷, ۵۹.۱۱ and۶۸.۵۰°, respectively. All of diffraction peaks were in excellent accordance with the standardXRD pattern of SmFeO۳ (JCPDS card No. ۳۹-۱۴۹۰). The TEM images demonstrated that theSmFeO۳ and SmFeO۳/CuO(۱۰wt%) particles were spherical like with average grain sizes ofabout ۵۰ and ۳۰ nm, respectively. The Eg values of SmFeO۳, CuO, and SmFeO۳/CuO(۱۰wt%)were ۲.۰۱, ۱.۳۲, and ۱.۸۱ eV, respectively. The UV-Vis absorption spectra exhibited that theCuO nanoparticles absorbed visible light in the range of ۴۰۰–۸۰۰ nm due to their narrow bandgap (Eg=۱.۳۲ eV) while SmFeO۳ nanoparticles absorbed lower amount of light in the range of۳۰۰-۶۰۰ nm (Eg=۲.۰۱ eV). The SmFeO۳/CuO(۱۰wt%) composite demonstrated the highestvisible light absorption in the spectral range of ۳۰۰-۶۰۰ nm. Thus, it was anticipated that thismaterial will exhibit the most remarkable photocatalytic activity.