Experimental and theoretical analysis for Ag doped ZnO photocatalyst for its novel application to improve shelf life of peach

This study reports the simple synthesis of pure and Ag doped ZnO NPs with different doping concentrations of Ag (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%) for exploring photocatalytic performance and improving shelf life of fruits. The experimental (UV/Vis) and theoretical (COMSOL simulation) analysis reveals that synthesized ZnO nanoparticles exhibit band gap of 3.29 eV. The XRD, SEM, EDX, PL and FTIR techniques were used to reveal morphological, structural and optical properties of synthesized particles. The nanoparticles were used to check the photoctatlytic activity on methylene blue (MB) which reveals the fact that doping of silver (Ag) into ZnO enhanced photocatalytic performance while degrading the methylene blue. Moreover, synthesized nanoparticles applied on the fruit (peach) and investigated the shelf life with various factors as percent weight loss, ash content, moisture content, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and total soluble solids contents. Experimental results are well correlated with the simulation results where lateral analysis technique helped us to explore and understand the underlying science associated with the concerned phenomenon. This study will have revolutionary impact for its application in improving the shelf life of the fruits which is direly needed to cater the food consumption quite efficiently.

Automated summary

This study reports the synthesis of pure and Ag doped ZnO nanoparticles for studying their photocatalytic performance and improving fruit shelf life. The experimental and theoretical analysis showed that the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles had a band gap of 3.29 eV. Various techniques were used to analyze the morphology, structure, and optical properties of the particles. The results revealed that Ag doping enhanced the photocatalytic performance of ZnO and improved the shelf life of fruits. This study is important for efficiently meeting the demand for food consumption by improving fruit shelf life.