Enhancement of photocatalytic activity of ZrO2 nanoparticles by doping with Mg for UV light photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet and methyl blue dyes

In this study, pristine ZrO2 (600 degrees C) and Mg (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 M)-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles were effectively synthesized at about 10 nm size and achieved complete degradation of methyl violet and methyl blue dyes under UV irradiation. The calcined products were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, UV-DRS, PL, FESEM-EDX, TEM-SAED pattern and XPS techniques. The tetragonal crystal structure of the pristine ZrO2 and Mg (0.02-0.08 M)-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles were affirmed by XRD analysis. The Mg (0.08 M)-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles were approximately in quasi-spherical morphology and high agglomeration was confirmed by FESEM and TEM results. The surface defects and oxygen vacancies were analyzed by PL spectroscopy. The Mg (0.08 M)-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles exhibited enlarged photocatalytic activity with 94% and 90% degradation of methyl violet and methyl blue dyes under UV irradiation.