Facile synthesis and X-ray peak broadening studies of Zn1−xMgxO nanoparticles

Magnesium-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) (Zn1−xMgxO-NPs, x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) were synthesized by a simple sol–gel method. The compounds were synthesized at calcination temperatures of 650 °C for 2 h. The synthesized Zn1−xMgxO-NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and high-magnification transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD results revealed that the sample product was crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase. The TEM showed Zn1−xMgxO-NPs with nearly spherical and hexagonal shapes. The size–strain plot (SSP) method was used to study the individual contributions of crystallite sizes and lattice strain on the peak broadening of the Zn1−xMgxO-NPs. Physical parameters such as strain, stress, and energy–density values were calculated more precisely for all reflection peaks of XRD corresponding to the wurtzite hexagonal phase of ZnO in the 20°–100° range from the SSP results. The effect of doping on the optical band-gap was also investigated. The results showed that Mg2+ is a good dopant to control some of the ZnO properties, with minimum defects to its structure.