Microwave-assisted synthesis of ZnO-Y ₃Al ₅O ₁₂:Ce ³⁺ composites with enhanced visible light photocatalysis

ZnO-Y ₃Al ₅O ₁₂:Ce ³⁺ composites were successfully synthesized via a microwave-assisted reaction of the ZnO precursor with a Y ₃Al ₅O ₁₂:Ce ³⁺ suspension using a microwave synthesis system. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, fluorescence spectrophotometer, and UV-vis absorption spectrophotometer. The results show that the introduction of Y ₃Al ₅O ₁₂:Ce ³⁺ can enhance the photocatalytic performance of ZnO with a maximum MB degradation rate of 93% under visible light irradiation compared with pure ZnO (13%) mainly due to the light down-converting effect of Y ₃Al ₅O ₁₂: Ce ³⁺, which facilitates the self-sensitized destruction of MB.