ZnYbAgO nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation

The co-precipitation technique was used to produce Zn 1-x-y Yb x Ag y O nanomaterials. The Zn 1-x-y Yb x Ag y O nanomaterials have higher photocatalytic activity compared to ZnO, owing to their exceptional optical and electrical characteristics. The results demonstrate that the Zn 0.096 Yb 0.02 Ag 0.02 O nanoparticles are capable of decomposing 98.2 % of RhB dye after 15 min by photodegradation. Moreover, studies have shown that superoxide radicals actively participate in the process of photodegradation. • Zn 1-x-y Yb x Ag y O nanoparticles were synthesized using the co-precipitation technique. • Zn 0.096 Yb 0.02 Ag 0.02 O nanoparticles fully disintegrate RhB after 20 min of illumination with a Mercury lamp. • Superior photocatalytic performance is attributed to high specific surface area, potent active sites, small optical band gap, maximum visible range absorption, and rapid recombination rate. • Farication methods and doping components to enhance the photocatalytic capabilities of ZnO nanoparticles.