Effect of nitrogen doping on the photo-catalytic properties of nitrogen doped ZnO tetrapods

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 131; pp. 64 - 66
• Main Authors: Qiu, Yongfu, Fan, Hongbo, Tan, Guiping, Yang, Minlin, Yang, Xiaoxi, Yang, Shihe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.09.2014
• Subjects: Band gap; Diffusion; Doping; Mathematical analysis; Nanomaterials; Rate constants; Reflectivity; Semiconductors; Structural analysis; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Zinc oxide; ZnO; Nanomaterials; ZnO; Band gap; Semiconductors
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2014.05.156

In this report, nitrogen doped ZnO tetrapods have been prepared and the general structural characterizations have been performed by SEM and XPS. The band gap was for the first time determined by UV–visible diffuse reflectance and the results show that the band gap of ZnO tetrapods was narrowing greatly after nitrogen doping owing to the impurity N 2p states isolated above the valence-band maximum of ZnO, and then the narrowing band gap increased the rate constant k according to the Arrhenius׳ equation. That is, the nitrogen doping narrows the band gap, and then leads to the increase of the photo-catalytic activity of ZnO tetrapods. Nitrogen doped ZnO tetrapods have been prepared and the nitrogen doping narrows the band gap, and then leads to the increase of the photo-catalytic activity of ZnO tetrapods. [Display omitted] •Nitrogen doped ZnO tetrapods are prepared.•The band gaps of nitrogen doped ZnO tetrapods have been determined.•The nitrogen doping narrows the band gap, and then leads to the increase of the photo-catalytic activity of ZnO tetrapods.