The Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles doped with cadmium ions have been successfully synthesized by rapid microwave combustion method. The synthesized product was characterized by powder XRD, EDS, SEM, TEM, photoluminescence and VSM studies. XRD and EDS analyses suggest the effects of doping concentration on phase structures of Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles. Photoluminescence emissions are centered at around 470 nm. Magnetic analysis revealed that the Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles had a ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with saturation magnetization of 18.23 emu/g. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution showed that cadmium ions doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles. The Cd-doped Zn3(VO4)2 nanoparticles with atomic ratio of Cd to Zn being 0.08 had the best activity in photo-degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation.
