Strontium doped ZnO nanoparticles@graphene nanospreads were synthesized using a facile cost effective wet chemical method. Their structural, surface morphological, photocatalytic and antibacterial properties were studied and compared with those of the ZnO:Sr and bare ZnO particles. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that all the synthesized samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) study displayed a platelet like morphology and EDX mapping confirmed the presence of the elements involved in the components of the synthesized composite material. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analysis revealed that the ZnO:Sr nanoparticles are anchored on graphene sheets. The presence of the constituents of the composite is confirmed by Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis. ZnO:Sr/G nanocomposite sample exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity against methylene blue dye compared to the ZnO:Sr and bare ZnO samples. Similarly, an improved antibacterial activity against two Gram-positive as well as two Gram-negative bacteria was also observed for the ZnO:Sr/G nanocomposite.

Owing to the low-cost, nontoxicity and abundance, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films become a better alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) films. Therefore, development of AZO films with transparent conducting properties comparable to that of ITO is one of the main focuses of material scientists, and hence various ways and means are attempted for the past two decades. Also, the production of cost-effective transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films is a presently engaged task of R&D departments of optoelectronic industries. In this paper, we present a detailed review on the effects of various process parameters on the characteristics of AZO thin films deposited using one of the low-cost fabrication techniques called spray pyrolysis. More than 100 original research articles related to this topic have been surveyed and analyzed critically. Results obtained from our experimental work are compared with the collected data, and an interesting correlation between the properties of AZO films has been found out and reported.