CHEMICAL COPRECIPITATION SYNTHESIS AND ENHANCED PHOTOCATALYTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF NICKEL-DOPED ZINC SULFIDE NANOPARTICLES

Muhammad Iqbal; Zeeshan Mahmood; Waseem Sajjad Tahir; Kanwal Akhtar; Muhammad Salman; Aurangzaib; Aneela Din Muhammad; Yasir Javeed

doi:10.71146/kjmr263

Authors

Muhammad Iqbal Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Zeeshan Mahmood Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Waseem Sajjad Tahir Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Kanwal Akhtar Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Muhammad Salman Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Aurangzaib Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Aneela Din Muhammad Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author
Yasir Javeed Faculty of Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71146/kjmr263

Keywords:

Optoelectronics devices, Spintronic devices, ZnS nanoparticles, Chemical coprecipitation, FTIR, UV-visible, Photocatalytic

Abstract

Metal sulfide semiconductors having wide bandgap like ZnS experience a significant decrease in band gap when transition metal ions like Ni^2⁺ are doped. This alteration creates new composite materials with various uses in photonics, solar cells, optoelectronic devices, and spintronic devices. These modifications have led to improvements in ZnS nanoparticle production techniques. Nickel-doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles are synthesized by using a simple chemical coprecipitation method. Ni-doped ZnS nanoparticles have been characterized using UV-visible spectra and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Zn–S vibrational bands were detected by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; changes in these bands suggested that Ni had been successfully incorporated into the ZnS lattice. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the optical band gap from 3.70 eV for 3% Ni-doped ZnS to 3.46 eV for 1% Ni-doped ZnS, demonstrating tunable optical properties due to Ni doping, which could enhance photocatalytic performance under visible light.