Antibacterial activity and ferroelectric properties of Nd3+ doped ZnO nanostructured materials

Zn(1-x)NdxO: with x=0.0, 0.03, 06 and 0.10 nanostructured samples were successfully synthesized by solgel method. Rietveld refinement indicated displacement of Zn and O ions and revealed change in the electron density around Zn-O bond with Nd substitution in ZnO nanostructured materials, which can play a key role in understanding the structural, spontaneous polarization and optical properties. The UV and green-yellow emissions attributed to the exciton transition and the transition between the oxygen vacancy and interstitial oxygen, respectively. The study of ferroelectric (P-E) measurement of Zn0.90Nd0.1O sample showed 0.5 µC/cm2 remnant polarization and 1.5 kV/cm coercive fields. The synthesized Nd3+ doped ZnO nanostructured samples demonstrated antibacterial activities against pathogenic bacteria staphylococcus.