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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