Influence of zinc on electrochemical and photoluminescence properties of yttrium chromate nanoparticles

YCrO4: Zn (1-9 mol %) nanoparticles were synthesized using Aloe vera gel via a solution combustion method and subsequently calcined at 600 degrees C for 3 h. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed a pure tetragonal crystal structure, indicative of high material quality, while surface morphology revealed irregularly shaped and sized nanoparticles that varied with dopant concentration. The crystallite size, calculated using Scherrer's method, decreased from 14 nm to 9 nm, and the optical energy band gap narrowed from 2.93 eV to 2.75 eV with increasing zinc doping. Photoluminescence emission spectra, recorded under 310 nm excitation, displayed peaks centered at 483, 525, and 628 nm, with the violet-blue emission attributed to the recombination of zinc interstitial (Zni) and zinc vacancy (VZn) energy levels. The presence of oxygen vacancies contributed to the green emission peak, while red emissions resulted from band transitions between zinc interstitial and oxygen interstitial (Oi) defect levels within the host matrix. The CIE coordinates fell within the 1713 K region, with an average color-correlated temperature of 1730 K, indicating a warm LED output. Electrochemical studies demonstrated that the specific capacitance of YCrO4:Zn (1-9 mol%) nanoparticles ranged from 86.94 to 130.27 F/g at a scan rate of 10 mV/s, underscoring the significant influence of dopant concentration on the material's electrochemical properties, as higher concentrations of Zn2+ in YCrO4 enhanced the charge storage capability, suggesting its potential for improved performance in energy storage applications.