Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have garnered significant attention due to their exceptional photocatalytic properties, low toxicity, and environmental compatibility. This study focuses on the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using a cost-effective sol-gel method, followed by comprehensive characterization employing XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and FTIR analysis. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure and nanoscale morphology with high surface area, crucial for enhanced photocatalytic performance. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated using methylene blue and rhodamine B as model organic dyes under UV and visible light irradiation. The results demonstrate substantial degradation efficiency, attributed to the high crystallinity and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles. This work underscores the potential of ZnO-based photocatalysts in wastewater treatment applications, providing insight into their structure-activity relationship and laying groundwork for future development in environmental remediation technologies.
T.C.M. et al. (2025) studied this question.