Tulsi mediated green synthesis of zinc doped CeO2 for super capacitor and display applications

Metal-doped cerium oxide has gained the attention of worldwide researchers due to its facile features and enormous applications in broad fields. Herein, Zn doped cerium oxide nanoparticles of various molar concentrations from 1 to 11 mol% are synthesized by versatile solution combustion synthesis using Tulsi leaf extract as a reducing agent. The nanoparticles as obtained are characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), EDAX, ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS), and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to confirm the successful synthesis. From PXRD and Rietveld Refinement using Fullprof software, the cubic fluorite structure of NPs is verified. Also, structural parameters such as dislocation density and strain were determined. Surface morphology confirms the presence of doped NPs. The direct transition of the band gap from 3 eV to 2.83 eV with an increase in zinc doping concentration is obtained by UV-VIS spectroscopy. FTIR analysis shows the chemical bonds present in the NPs. The as-obtained NPs are subjected to the study of photoluminescence (PL) properties and electrochemical analysis. The procured NPs manifest excellent photoluminescence emission peaks that show their potential in display applications. Further, the highest specific capacitance is achieved for 11 mol% concentration at a lower scan rate. CV, GCD, and EIS analysis suggest that zinc-doped Cerium oxide NPs can be utilized for supercapacitor applications.