Effect of Ultraviolet Illumination on the Fixation of Silver Ions on Zinc Oxide Films and Their Photocatalytic Efficiency

This study focuses on the fabrication and characterization of nanostructured zinc oxide films deposited glass substrates using sol–gel dip-coating methods. The thin are functionalized with silver ions at various Ag+ concentrations (10−2, 10−3, 10−4 M) through room temperature ion fixation process without ultraviolet (UV) illumination. Physicochemical techniques, such as employing Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Diffraction (XRD), Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Ultraviolet–Visible Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) techniques. SEM-EDX XRD confirmed a characteristic ganglia-like structure hexagonal crystalline structure. photocatalytic performance available surface area pure Ag investigated in removal methylene blue dye under UV visible light illumination darkness. It is observed that activity increases proportionally to concentration: ZnO < Ag(10−4 M)/ZnO, Ag(10−3 M)/ZnO Ag(10−2 M)/ZnO. Moreover, catalysts modified during treatment (Ag-UV/ZnO) exhibited higher efficiency degraded comparison those source (Ag/ZnO). experimental results total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. optimal concentration (10−2 established, which shows highest (in both cases treatment). can be used guideline for development co-catalyst-functionalized semiconductor photocatalysts.