Praseodymium-doped ZnS nanomaterials: Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

• Pr-doped ZnS nanomaterials were synthesized by hydrothermal method.
• The as-prepared compounds were characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, SEM and UV techniques.
• The photocatalytic effect of compounds was determined by Reactive Blue 19 degradation.
• The degradation of Reactive Blue 19 followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model.

Pr-doped ZnS nanoparticles with variable praseodymium contents were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal process. The products were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, TGA and UV–vis techniques. The photocatalytic performance of the as-synthesized nanoparticles was investigated for the decolorization of Reactive Blue 19 solution under visible light irradiation. The highest decolorization was achieved with 3% Pr-doped ZnS nanoparticles. The order of inhibitory effect of radical scavengers was butanol > Cl− > CO32− > isopropyl alcohol. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) adsorption and rate coefficients for the photocatalytic process were successfully established.

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