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Experimental and theoretical investigation of enhancing the photocatalytic activity of Mg doped ZnO for nitrophenol degradation

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Abstract

Magnesium-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Mg0.1Zn0.9O) were successfully synthesized following the solution combustion method. The effect of magnesium on the morphology, crystalline phases, and optical properties of the ZnO nanoparticles was studied. A relative band gap enhancement has been observed using the density functional theory (DFT) calculation through Mg doping from 3.19 eV to 3.24 eV. The photocatalytic degradation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NPh) has been investigated under UV irradiation in aqueous suspension where 1.5 g of Mg0.1Zn 0.9O/L removed 81% of 4-NPh (60 mg/L) under a pH solution of 12 within 120 min.

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Acknowledgements

The Authors thank the innovation center at university Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah and the CNRST center for performing the characterization part.

Funding

This research has not received any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Catalysis, Process, Materials and Environment, Higher School of Technology, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco

    Karim Tanji, Youssef Fahoul & Abdelhak Kherbeche

  2. Department of Physics-Chemistry, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Ouarzazate, University of Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco

    Imane El Mrabet

  3. Materials and Renewable Energy Laboratory, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

    Ahmed Soussi

  4. Laboratoire des Nanomatériaux, l’énergie et l’environnement, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia, Université Cadi Ayyad, BP 2390, 40000, Marrakech, Morocco

    Mohamed Belghiti

  5. Laboratory of Materials Physics and Subatomics (LMPS), Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofail University, BP 133, Kenitra, Morocco

    Ilyass Jellal

  6. Laboratory of Materials and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

    Yassine Naciri

  7. École Supérieure de Technologie de Khénifra, Université Sultan Moulay Slimane, Beni Mellal, Morocco

    Abdelali El Gaidoumi

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  1. Karim Tanji
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Contributions

KT: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing—original draft. IEM: Visualization, Writing—review & editing. YF: Visualization, Writing—review & editing. AS: Writing—review & editing. MB: Writing—review & editing. IJ: Writing—review & editing. YN: Writing—review & editing. AEG: Writing—review & editing. AK: Resources, Supervision.

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Correspondence to Karim Tanji.

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Tanji, K., El Mrabet, I., Fahoul, Y. et al. Experimental and theoretical investigation of enhancing the photocatalytic activity of Mg doped ZnO for nitrophenol degradation. Reac Kinet Mech Cat 136, 1125–1142 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11144-023-02385-0

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