Low-Cost synthesis of Ag-doped NiO thin Films: Their structural, optical, photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties

In this study, the influence of Ag atom doping on NiO thin films was investigated, focusing on their optical, structural, surface morphological, and chemical composition properties. The NiO thin films were doped with Ag atoms at concentrations of 2 at.% and 4 at.%, resulting in significant changes in their structural and surface morphological characteristics. Optical measurements showed variations in transmittance and optical band gap energies for the doped films compared to undoped NiO. FTIR analysis revealed distinctive peaks corresponding to Ni-O and Ag-O bonds, confirming the successful doping process. The Ag-doped NiO thin films exhibited improved antibacterial activity against E. coli and enhanced photodegradation efficiency for Methylene Blue and Malachite Green dyes. These findings highlight the potential of Ag-doped NiO thin films for applications in photocatalysis and antimicrobial materials.