Optimizing the fabrication of nano-plasmonic silver nitrogen co-doped zinc oxide (AgxZn(1-x)NyO(1-y)) mediated by ammonia template: Insight into its enhanced physiochemical and photocatalytic behavior

The preparation of efficient silver nitrogen co-doped zinc oxide (AgxZn(1-xNyO(1-y)) catalyst was optimized by a bottom up sol gel method using inorganic nitrogen template, targeting 2,4-dinitrophenol degradation. A multivariate optimization study through response surface using central composite face-centered design was attempted for the in situ growth of nanoparticles. The synthesis was executed based on following key parameters, viz. the silver weight percent, calcination temperature and ammonia concentration. Ammonia plays an active role in colloidal stability and provides a green synthesis approach with zero carbon footprint. The prepared particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and UV Visible spectroscopy. The silver weight percent, calcination temperature, and ammonia concentration represent maximum removal efficiency at an optimum value of 1%, 200 degrees C, and 1 M respectively which are central values of optimization. The impact of considered parameters in the study is evident from the removal efficiencies of 2,4-dinitrophenol and total organic carbon varying from a range of 47.4% to 99.6% and 38.2% to 91.7% respectively for the three coded levels. The variation in process parameters reflected changes in crystallinity, optical properties, surface morphology, functional groups and other vital physicochemical properties. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.