Applications of Ag-Doped ZnO-TiO2 Nanocomposites in Antioxidant and Photocatalytic Processes: A Novel Therapeutic Alternate

Materials and alternative therapeutic agents are of high demand due to ever growing risk of epidemics and chronic ailments. In this study, we present Ag-doped ZnO-TiO ₂ nanocomposites as photocatalysts and antioxidants that can act as possible therapeutics for many non-communicable diseases. The nanocomposites were fabricated through sol-gel synthesis and underwent thorough examination employing UV spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). We conducted a more in-depth analysis of their photo-catalytic activity and assessed their antioxidant capability by a reducing assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of producing Ag-doped ZnO-TiO ₂ nanocomposites that exhibit excellent performance and enhanced photo-catalytic and antioxidant characteristics. Photocatalytic activity revealed that Ag doping increased the efficiency of dye degradation by 100% against 80% by undoped ZnO-TiO₂. Moreover, the optical badgap decreased from 2.48 eV to 2.31 eV in the presence of Ag doping, suggesting better visible light absorption. Antioxidant activity was enhanced by ~ 35%, and reducing power assay recorded ~ 40% reduced absorbance in comparison to ascorbic acid standard. This suggests that they possess significant potential for diverse applications in medicine to bring forth solutions to incurable medical ailments that are challenging currently.