Multifunctional reusable Ag-decorated ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst obtained by green synthesis

Bojana Simović; Željko Radovanović; Jelena Dikić; Natalija Milojković; Michael Gasik; Goran Branković; Aleksandra Dapčević

doi:10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402

Multifunctional reusable Ag-decorated ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst obtained by green synthesis

Bojana Simović^*
, Željko Radovanović
, Jelena Dikić
, Natalija Milojković
, Michael Gasik
, Goran Branković
, Aleksandra Dapčević

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This work examined an environmentally friendly precipitation method for preparing zinc oxide decorated with silver using chitosan as a non-toxic reducing agent. The obtained powders were characterized in detail by XRPD, FESEM, HRTEM/SAED, PSD, and UV–VIS techniques. Ag/ZnO samples contained wurtzite spherical nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 25 nm and cubic Ag distributed on the surface. Compared to the unmodified ZnO, modification with Ag increased absorption of the visible light regarding the formation of additional charge carriers, i.e. hot electrons, due to the surface plasmon resonance effect. The recyclable Ag/ZnO photocatalyst with an optimal content of 1.5 mol. % of Ag, was successfully applied under simulated solar light for the degradation of four industrial dyes: Reactive Orange 16, Mordant Blue 9, Acid Green 25, and Ethyl Violet. High repeatability and reproducibility were confirmed. The kinetics and full mechanism of the photodegradation process through the simultaneous and synergistic influence of light-harvesting Ag and ZnO were also suggested.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	27269-27281
Number of pages	13
Journal	Ceramics International
Volume	51
Issue number	19
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402
Publication status	Published - Aug 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia (Contract No. 451-03-65/2024–03/200135, Contract No. 451-03-66/2024–03/200053). The TEM work was conducted in the Centre for Electron Microscopy and Microanalysis (CEMM) at Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana (Slovenia). The PSD work was conducted at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland. The authors express their thanks to Dr. Nikola Tasić from the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, for advising during the synthesis.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Keywords

Ag/ZnO nanocomposites
Eco-friendly synthesis
Industrial dyes
Photocatalytic degradation
Recyclability

Access to Document

10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402

https://rimsi.imsi.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3620Licence: Unspecified

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title = "Multifunctional reusable Ag-decorated ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst obtained by green synthesis",

abstract = "This work examined an environmentally friendly precipitation method for preparing zinc oxide decorated with silver using chitosan as a non-toxic reducing agent. The obtained powders were characterized in detail by XRPD, FESEM, HRTEM/SAED, PSD, and UV–VIS techniques. Ag/ZnO samples contained wurtzite spherical nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 25 nm and cubic Ag distributed on the surface. Compared to the unmodified ZnO, modification with Ag increased absorption of the visible light regarding the formation of additional charge carriers, i.e. hot electrons, due to the surface plasmon resonance effect. The recyclable Ag/ZnO photocatalyst with an optimal content of 1.5 mol. \% of Ag, was successfully applied under simulated solar light for the degradation of four industrial dyes: Reactive Orange 16, Mordant Blue 9, Acid Green 25, and Ethyl Violet. High repeatability and reproducibility were confirmed. The kinetics and full mechanism of the photodegradation process through the simultaneous and synergistic influence of light-harvesting Ag and ZnO were also suggested.",

keywords = "Ag/ZnO nanocomposites, Eco-friendly synthesis, Industrial dyes, Photocatalytic degradation, Recyclability",

author = "Bojana Simovi{\'c} and {\v Z}eljko Radovanovi{\'c} and Jelena Diki{\'c} and Natalija Milojkovi{\'c} and Michael Gasik and Goran Brankovi{\'c} and Aleksandra Dap{\v c}evi{\'c}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.",

year = "2025",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402",

language = "English",

volume = "51",

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T1 - Multifunctional reusable Ag-decorated ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst obtained by green synthesis

AU - Simović, Bojana

AU - Radovanović, Željko

AU - Dikić, Jelena

AU - Milojković, Natalija

AU - Gasik, Michael

AU - Branković, Goran

AU - Dapčević, Aleksandra

PY - 2025/8

Y1 - 2025/8

N2 - This work examined an environmentally friendly precipitation method for preparing zinc oxide decorated with silver using chitosan as a non-toxic reducing agent. The obtained powders were characterized in detail by XRPD, FESEM, HRTEM/SAED, PSD, and UV–VIS techniques. Ag/ZnO samples contained wurtzite spherical nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 25 nm and cubic Ag distributed on the surface. Compared to the unmodified ZnO, modification with Ag increased absorption of the visible light regarding the formation of additional charge carriers, i.e. hot electrons, due to the surface plasmon resonance effect. The recyclable Ag/ZnO photocatalyst with an optimal content of 1.5 mol. % of Ag, was successfully applied under simulated solar light for the degradation of four industrial dyes: Reactive Orange 16, Mordant Blue 9, Acid Green 25, and Ethyl Violet. High repeatability and reproducibility were confirmed. The kinetics and full mechanism of the photodegradation process through the simultaneous and synergistic influence of light-harvesting Ag and ZnO were also suggested.

AB - This work examined an environmentally friendly precipitation method for preparing zinc oxide decorated with silver using chitosan as a non-toxic reducing agent. The obtained powders were characterized in detail by XRPD, FESEM, HRTEM/SAED, PSD, and UV–VIS techniques. Ag/ZnO samples contained wurtzite spherical nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 25 nm and cubic Ag distributed on the surface. Compared to the unmodified ZnO, modification with Ag increased absorption of the visible light regarding the formation of additional charge carriers, i.e. hot electrons, due to the surface plasmon resonance effect. The recyclable Ag/ZnO photocatalyst with an optimal content of 1.5 mol. % of Ag, was successfully applied under simulated solar light for the degradation of four industrial dyes: Reactive Orange 16, Mordant Blue 9, Acid Green 25, and Ethyl Violet. High repeatability and reproducibility were confirmed. The kinetics and full mechanism of the photodegradation process through the simultaneous and synergistic influence of light-harvesting Ag and ZnO were also suggested.

KW - Ag/ZnO nanocomposites

KW - Eco-friendly synthesis

KW - Industrial dyes

KW - Photocatalytic degradation

KW - Recyclability

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001861638

U2 - 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402

DO - 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.03.402

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105001861638

SN - 0272-8842

VL - 51

SP - 27269

EP - 27281

JO - Ceramics International

JF - Ceramics International

IS - 19

ER -

Multifunctional reusable Ag-decorated ZnO nanostructured photocatalyst obtained by green synthesis

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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