Ultraviolet to visible-light range photocatalytic activity of ZnO films prepared using sol-gel method: The influence of solvent

► Solvent-dependent photocatalytic properties of ZnO films using sol-gel method ► Control of solvents for evaluation of photoresponsive properties in UV-vis range ► Active polar planes, absorption in UV and visible region and surface area improvement ► Enhanced the activities of ZnO films synthesized in solvents with lower polarity