A simple method to prepare and characterize ZnO/V₂O₅ nanostructure thin films for photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic uses in visible light

In this research, we investigated the enhancement of the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO nanorods by incorporating vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ). Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were initially prepared by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. Subsequently, vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) nanoparticles, produced by laser ablation, were deposited onto the ZnO nanorods via drop casting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images verified that ZnO grew in the morphology of nanorods and nanotubes, while V 2 O 5 exhibited the structure of tree leaves and nanoparticles. The XRD technique was used to investigate the crystalline structure of the produced ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructure. The high band gap in ZnO limits the efficiency of photocatalysis under visible light. Building a core–shell structure with materials such as V 2 O 5 can boost their performance in such conditions. The prepared samples appeared photodegradation rate of the MB dye reached 39% after 9 h of exposure to visible light. The photoelectrochemical cell measurement of the prepared ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructures demonstrated a positive response to light and achieved a relatively high photoconversion efficiency of 0.084% at 0.35 V, surpassing the results of earlier investigations. The M-S analysis revealed that the ZnO/ V 2 O 5 nanostructure thin films exhibited n-type conductivity, characterized by a negative flat band potential V FB .