| dc.contributor.author | Jepngetich, Joan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Njoroge, Peter W. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Opiyo, Sylvia A. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kiprotich, Sharon | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-21T14:10:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-10-21T14:10:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/adda91 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://repository.mut.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/6682 | |
| dc.description.abstract | To minimize the use of fossils fuels, solar cells have been considered to be effective despite facing
major setbacks such as its cost and effectiveness. In this research Ag-ZnO was synthesized using Citrus
reticulata as capping agents to be used as photoanoade in solar cell so that it can improve effectiveness
of solar cell. Pure and Ag-ZnO were synthesized using chemical precipitation method with Citrus
reticulata peel extract as a capping agent. The effects of capping agent on material properties of ZnO
and Ag-ZnO were reported. The results obtained showed that capping agents had major effects on the
properties of nanoparticles. Several techniques were used to characterize the as-prepared and annealed
ZnO and Ag-ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction was used to determine the crystal structure. The
results obtained showed that both capped and uncapped ZnO and Ag-ZnO maintained the hexagonal
wurtzite structure. This showed that the dopant occupied the interstitial site of the precursor
materials. Derby Scherrer formula was used to calculate the crystal size, the results obtained showed
that capping agents reduced the crystal size of nanoparticles. All nanoparticles formed were in the
range of 8–14 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the stretching vibration of Zn-O
between 470–420 cm−1 wavenumbers. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and Ultra violet visible
spectroscopy (UV–vis) were used to study the optical properties of nanoparticles. PL showed
significant shift towards the near band edge region when nanoparticles were doped. In theUV–vis the
Tauc’s equation was plotted and used to determine the bandgap energies of nanoparticles. Uncapped
ZnO had a bandgap of 3.34 and the capped ZnO had a bandgap of 3.52 eV. When doped the bandgap
energies increased to 3.85 and 3.68 for pure and capped Ag-ZnO nanoparticles. Scanning electron
microscopy was used to determine the morphological properties of nanoparticles, the results obtained
showed that capping agents stabilizes and improve the crystal structure of nanoparticles. Capped ZnO
had the best morphological properties. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Mater. Res. Express | en_US |
| dc.subject | nanoparticles, ZnONPs, synthesis, characterization, band gap | en_US |
| dc.title | Synthesis and characterization of Ag-ZnO using citrus reticulata peel extract | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |
