Photocatalytic degradation of an azo textile dye with manganese-doped ZnO nanoparticles coated on glass

Mn doped ZnO nanocomposite thin film coated on glass by a simple spin-coating method was used to degrade an azo textile dye from aqueous environment. Mn doped ZnO nanocomposite thin film was characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photo-reduction activity of photocatalyst was evaluated using an azo textile dye as organic contaminant irradiated only with UV light from mercury bulb. The processing parameter such as the pH value also played an important role in tuning the photocatalytic activity. The maximum photodecomposition rate was achieved at pH=6, and a novel model about the absorption of azo dye on the surface of the catalysts was proposed.