Effect of (Ag, Pd) doping on structural, and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticales: As a model of photocatalytic activity for water pollution treatment

[Display omitted] •Un-doped and Ag, Pd Doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal and photochemical methods respectively.•XRD results showed that ZnO has hexagonal wurtzite phase with (1 0 1) plane preferred orientation.•Diffuse reflectance shows the band gab of doped ZnO nanoparticles is 2.61 eV.•PL results indicate that (Ag, Pd)/ZnO has a lower recombination rate compared with Ag or Pd on ZnO nanoparticles.•Photocatalytic activity for (Ag, Pd)/ZnO is about 95.67% at pH9. This study presents a favorable application to use (Ag, Pd) co-doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles as nanocatalysts in photocatalytic degradation of maxilon blue (GRL) dye. Un-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method and Ag, Pd and (Ag, Pd) co-doped ZnO nanoparticles by photochemical methods for photocatalytic application. XRD results revealed that ZnO has a hexagonal wurtzite phase with (1 0 1) plane preferred orientation. FE-SEM results demonstrated that the samples with a high agglomeration except at pH11 that have a rod-like shape. FT-IR absorption peak at ~520 cm−1, revealed a slight shift which observed after the doping between (520 and 450) cm−1. Diffuse reflectance shows the band gab of doped ZnO nanoparticles is at 2.61 eV. PL results indicate that (Ag, Pd)/ZnO has a lower recombination rate when compared with Ag or Pd doped ZnO nanoparticles. Novel photocatalytic high activity were observed for (Ag, Pd) co-doped ZnO which is about 95.67% at pH9.