Rapid microwave-assisted fabrication of Al-doped zinc oxide nanorods on a glass substrate for photocatalytic degradation of phenol under visible light irradiation

•Rapid microwave assisted hydrothermal method for the synthesis of Al-doped ZnO NRs.•ZnO and AZO NRs visible light photocatalysis was studied using phenol.•1 mol% AZO NRs had highest (95.7%) phenol visible light photocatalytic degradation.•Enhanced photocatalysis is due to bandgap narrowing and enhanced light absorption.