Zinc-rich Ga1-xZnxN1-xOx solid solutions with tunable composition prepared from a constant-pH coprecipitation method

Wurtzite Zinc-gallium oxynitrides (Ga1-xZnxN1-xOx) has attracted a great deal of interest these years as photocatalysts capable of overall water splitting and contamination degradation under visible light irradiation. Ga1-xZnxN1-xOx particles were synthesized by nitridation of Zn/Ga/CO3 layered double hydroxides (LDHs) using a coprecipitation method with constant pH of 8. Single-phase Ga1-xZnxN1-xOx with Zn: Ga mole ratios of 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1 were obtained, as characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. Photocatalytic activities of the obtained particles were evaluated under visible-light irradiation against the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB). The oxynitrde with a Zn:Ga mole ratio of 2:1 showed the highest photoactivity among all the samples.