Evaluation of the microstructural and photocatalytic properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide coatings deposited by plasma spraying

• We doped aluminum (Al) in a zinc oxide (ZnO) coating using plasma spraying.
• More significant recrystallization was observed after plasma spraying.
• The surface of the Al-doped ZnO coating exhibited a microplatelet microstructure.
• The Al-doped ZnO coating displayed high photocatalytic activities.

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) material produced from a nanopowder agglomerate was deposited as a plasma-sprayed coating, and the resulting microstructural and photocatalytic properties of these coatings were investigated. The microstructure of the AZO coatings was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Additionally, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue caused by the AZO coatings was estimated via ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The results of this study demonstrate that the AZO coatings deposited by plasma spraying can influence the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.