Hydrothermal Synthesis of Silver‐Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Pollutants Under Ultraviolet Light

ABSTRACT Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a well‐known semiconductor material widely used in environmental and energy‐related applications; however, its photocatalytic performance is limited by rapid electron–hole recombination. This study aims to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) by doping with silver (Ag) using the hydrothermal method. X‐ray diffraction patterns confirm the crystalline nature and high purity of the synthesized NPs, with no secondary impurity phases, confirming the successful incorporation of Ag into the ZnO. Microscopy analysis confirmed the spherical shape of Ag‐ZnO NPs, with an average particle size of ∼ 62 nm. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) reveals an emission peak at 443 nm. A remarkable enhancement in photocatalytic efficiency was observed for Ag‐ZnO NPs with over 90% degradation of Congo Red (CR) dye within the test period. The observed improvement is primarily due to the doping of Ag into ZnO, which facilitates effective charge separation and broadens the photo‐response range of ZnO. These outcomes position Ag‐ZnO NPs as promising candidates for the efficient removal of organic pollutants from wastewater under ultraviolet irradiation.