The Auto-Combustion Method Synthesized EuO ZnO Nanostructured Composites for Electronic and Photocatalytic Applications

An efficient and environmentally friendly combustion technique was employed to produce ZnO nanopowders with different Eu concentrations (from 0.001 g to 5 g). The structural morphology of the EuO-ZnO nanocomposites was examined using XRD, SEM, and infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). In addition, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was also used to investigate the effects of europium (Eu) dopant on the optical behaviors and energy bandgaps of nano-complex oxides. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of phenol and methylene blue was investigated using all the prepared EuO-ZnO nanostructured samples. Photocatalytic effectiveness increased when europium (Eu) doping ratios increased. After adding moderate Eu, more hydroxyl radicals were generated over ZnO. The best photocatalyst for phenol degradation was 1 percent EuO-ZnO, while it was 0.5 percent EuO-ZnO for methylene blue solutions. The obtained EuO-doped ZnO nanostructured materials are considered innovative, promising candidates for a wide range of nano-applications, including biomedical and photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and phenol.