Preparation and photocatalytic activity of Cu-doped ZnO thin films prepared by the sol-gel method

Cu-doped ZnO thin films were fabricated on glass substrates by the sol-gel dip-coating method. All samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The grain size and film thickness of the Cu-doped ZnO thin film decreased as a function of the Cu concentrations. All prepared films showed a very high transmittance above 89% in the visible region (400-800 nm). Two oxidation states of Cu in +1 and +2 were identified in the ZnO thin film by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Their photocatalytic activities were investigated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under blacklight fluorescent tubes. The film prepared from the Zn2+ solution containing 0.5 mol% of copper ions had the highest photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue solution as a function of the initial concentrations was evaluated according to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The reaction rate (k) and adsorption equilibrium constant (K) over 1 cm(2) of 0.5 mol% Cu-doped ZnO thin film are 15.92 mu M h(-1) and 0.049 mu M-1, respectively. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.