The development of nanotechnology has significantly impacted the improvement of photocatalytic performance of ZnO NPs. In this study synthesis of pure ZnO and Ag–ZnO nanoparticles via a co-precipitation method at varying Ag concentrations (1 %, 2 %, 3 %, 4 % and 6 %) to enhance their photo catalytic efficacy. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis estimates crystallite size which decreased by increasing Ag concentration, ranging from 30.6 nm (Pure ZnO) to 22.5 nm 6 % Ag-doped ZnO. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed decrease in particle size with increasing Ag content. UV–Vis spectroscopy indicating a narrowed band gap of optimal sample. Photocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoparticles was evaluated using methylene orange (MO) dye degradation under light irradiation. The MO concentration exhibited a decrease with increasing irradiation time in the presence of photocatalysts. Recombination rate of NPs decreases by increasing the concentration of Ag i.e. 4%Ag dope ZnO NPs have lowest recombination rate and maximum degradation efficiency. FTIR analysis confirms the preparation of Ag-doped ZnO NPs. This improvement can be credited to the synergistic effect of Ag doping, leading to a narrowed band gap and potentially maximum degradation of MO by using Ag-doped ZnO NPs.

In this work, a comparative study for the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of aluminium (Al) target has been performed by using the two kinds of enhancement techniques, namely, magnetic confinement and double pulse-LIBS (DP-LIBS). Firstly, the signal enhancement of Al plasma by combining the LIBS with an external magnetic field was exposed. Secondly, the signal enhancement by configuring the dual-pulses action in LIBS was performed. We found that the optical emission lines and plasma parameters (electron temperature and density) showed significant enhancement in the presence of magnetic field and DP-LIBS. During the magnetic confinement, the maximum enhancement factors of about 6 and 8 were achieved for the spectral line Mg(II) 279.5 nm and Al(II) 280.1 nm, respectively. An enhancement factor was reached up to 12-folds for the various spectral lines in DP-LIBS. Our results have significance in improving the LIBS sensitivity.

Externally variable magnetic field was incorporated with the combination of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to enhance the emission characteristics of aluminum (Al) plasma. Significant emission enhancement of laser induced plasma (LIP) was obtained at different magnetic field strengths, for instance, enhancement factors of about 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 times were observed at field-strength of 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6 T, respectively. The electron-impact excitation rates and recombination process were increased at higher field-strengths, which led to the higher emission signal due the stronger plasma confinement by the field. The electron number density and electron temperature were measured using the spectroscopic techniques at several delay times. At higher field strengths, both electron density and electron excitation temperature showed an increased trend as compared to the case when No-field was applied. Hence, the research has significance for enhancing the plasma signal which led to improve the LIBS sensitivity.

In this work, a comparative study for the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of aluminium (Al) target has been performed by using the two kinds of enhancement techniques namely, magnetic confinement and double pulse-LIBS (DP-LIBS). Firstly, the signal enhancement of Al plasma by combining the LIBS with an external magnetic field was exposed. Secondly, the signal enhancement by configuring the dual-pulses action in LIBS was performed. We found that the optical emission lines and plasma parameters (electron temperature and density) showed significant enhancement in the presence of magnetic field and DP-LIBS. During the magnetic confinement, the maximum enhancement factors of about 6 and 8 were achieved for the spectral line Mg (II) 279.5 nm and Al (II) 280.1 nm, respectively. An enhancement factor was reached up to 12-folds for the various spectral lines in DP-LIBS. Our results have significance in improving the LIBS sensitivity. Keywords: LIBS, spectral lines, magnetic confinement, Boltzmann, dual pulses