ZnSe nanoparticles prepared by coprecipitation method for photocatalytic applications

Abstract A simple coprecipitation method was used to synthetize pure zinc selenide (ZnSe) nanoparticles (NP’s) and ZnSe NP’s with traces of elemental selenium (ZnSe:Se). The physicochemical properties of ZnSe and ZnSe:Se NP’s were analyzed and correlated with their photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production and rhodamine B (RhB) degradation under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated the formation of a zinc blende-type ZnSe with the presence of elemental Se and a crystallite size of ∼6 nm. The scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopies showed ZnSe NP’s with a spherical morphology. A red shift of absorption edge was observed when Se traces are present in ZnSe-NP’s. The improved photocatalytic activity of ZnSe:Se NP’s for hydrogen (H2) production via water splitting and RhB degradation was related to the fact that elemental Se acts as a co-catalyst to separate the photogenerated charge carriers.