<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were prepared on silica substrates by sol-gel method. The films showed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation along c-axis. Suitable Al doping dramatically improved the crystal quality compared to the undoped ZnO films. Dependent on the Al dopant concentration, the diffraction peak of (0 0 2) plane in XRD spectra showed at first right-shifting and then left-shifting, which was attributed to the change in defect concentration induced by the Al dopant. Photocatalytic properties of the AZO film were characterized by degradation of methyl orange (MO) under simulated solar light. The transmittance of the films was enhanced by the Al doping, and the maximum transmittance of 80 % in the visible region was observed in the sample with Al concentration of 1.5 at.% (mole fraction). The film with 1.5 at.% Al doping achieved also maximum photocatalytic activity of 68.6 % under solar light. The changes in the film parameters can be attributed to the variation in defect concentration induced by different Al doping content.</p></abstract>

Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were prepared on silica substrates by sol-gel method. The films showed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation along c-axis. Suitable Al doping dramatically improved the crystal quality compared to the undoped ZnO films. Dependent on the Al dopant concentration, the diffraction peak of (0 0 2) plane in XRD spectra showed at first right-shifting and then left-shifting, which was attributed to the change in defect concentration induced by the Al dopant. Photocatalytic properties of the AZO film were characterized by degradation of methyl orange (MO) under simulated solar light. The transmittance of the films was enhanced by the Al doping, and the maximum transmittance of 80 % in the visible region was observed in the sample with Al concentration of 1.5 at.% (mole fraction). The film with 1.5 at.% Al doping achieved also maximum photocatalytic activity of 68.6 % under solar light. The changes in the film parameters can be attributed to the variation in defect concentration induced by different Al doping content.

Effects of Al doping on defect behaviors of ZnO thin film as a photocatalyst

Materials Science-Poland

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{"article-title":"Effects of Al doping on defect behaviors of ZnO thin film as a photocatalyst"}

Al doped ZnO (AZO) thin films were prepared on silica substrates by sol-gel method. The films showed a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred...

Effects of Al doping on defect behaviors of ZnO thin film as a photocatalyst

Published Online: Oct 18, 2019

Page range: 437 - 445

Received: Jul 07, 2018

Accepted: Apr 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/msp-2019-0050

Keywords
sol-gel, ZnO thin film, Al doping, photocatalyst

© 2019 Fucheng Yu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Effects of Al doping on defect behaviors of ZnO thin film as a photocatalyst

Published Online: Oct 18, 2019

Page range: 437 - 445

Received: Jul 07, 2018

Accepted: Apr 23, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/msp-2019-0050

Keywordssol-gel, ZnO thin film, Al doping, photocatalyst

© 2019 Fucheng Yu et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
sol-gel, ZnO thin film, Al doping, photocatalyst