Synthesis of ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposites: impact of polyethylene glycol on morphological, luminescence and photocatalytic properties

Zinc oxide-doped tin dioxide (ZnO-SnO2) nanomaterials were prepared by a sol-gel method with and without different amounts (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g) of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The prepared nanocomposites were characterized for structural, surface and optical properties. The effect of a PEG on the prepared ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposites was investigated. The photocatalytic activities of the synthesized nanocomposites were evaluated by methylene blue dye degradation under UV illumination. The ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposites prepared with 2.0 g of PEG showed the highest degradation efficiency of 87.30%, suggesting that adding PEG enhances the photocatalytic performance of ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposites due to increased inhibition of e(-)/h(+) pair recombination and efficient generation of superoxide radical anions and hydroxyl radicals.