The effect of phase structures on the near-infrared photocatalytic activity of NaYE4:Yb3+,Tm3+/ZnO nanocomposites

In this work, the effects of NaYF4:Yb3+, Tm3+ (NYT) structure on the near-infrared light (NIR) photocatalysis performance of ZnO were investigated. alpha-NYT/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) and beta-NYT/ZnO NCs were fabricated by a high temperature decomposition reaction method. The prepared NCs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectra (PL). The NIR photocatalytic activities of the synthesized alpha- and beta-NYT/ZnO NCs were studied by the degradation of Rhodamine B. The differential photocatalytic activities between of alpha- and beta-NYT/ZnO NCs are believed to be correlated to the effects of alpha- and beta-NYT on the oxygen vacancies and exposed crystal face of ZnO. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.