Low-Temperature Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles with Controlled Crystal Growth for Efficient Ultraviolet Photocatalyst

Abstract:

In this paper, we report that an effective and simple chemical method under the low temperature (60 °C) could synthesize zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and effectively control the crystal growth based on the hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction, X-ray electron spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and ultra violet visible spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and performance of the samples. It is shown that the ZnO nanoparticles synthesized under the optimal reaction conditions are strong ultraviolet absorption, high-uniformed sphere and high specific surface. In the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) tests, ZnO nanoparticles thrived well during the reaction and degraded the material in 50 minutes. Since ZnO nanoparticles towards RhB degradation shows a good stability, it might provide an effective way to tackle environmental pollution.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 897)
• Pages: 125-133
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.897.125
• Online since: August 2021
• Authors: Jun Shan Hu, Ze Dong Hu, Zi Qian Wei, Hao Fu*
• Keywords: Controlled Crystal Growth, Low-Temperature Synthesis, Nanoparticles, Photodegradation, Zinc Oxide

References

[1] Q. Z. Wu, X. Chen, P. Zhang, Y. C. Han, X. M. Chen, Y. H. Yan and S. P. Li, Amino acid-assisted synthesis of ZnO hierarchical architectures and their novel photocatalytic activities. Crystal Growth & Design, 8 (2008) 3010-3018.

DOI: 10.1021/cg800126r

[2] S. C. Karumuthil, K. Singh, U. Valiyaneerilakkal, J. Akhtar, S. Varghese, Fabrication of poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) – Zinc oxide based piezoelectric pressure sensor[J]. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 303 (2020) 111677.

DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2019.111677

[3] F. Cao, C. Li, M. Li, Direct growth of Al-doped ZnO ultrathin nanosheets on electrode for ethanol gas sensor application. Applied Surface Science, 447 (2018) 173-181.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.03.217

[4] J. Im, F.E. Lofflfler, Fate of bisphenol A in terrestrial and aquatic environments, Environ. Sci. Technol. 50 (2016) 8403-8416.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b00877

[5] C. Lei, M. Pi, C. Jiang, B. Cheng, J. Yu, Synthesis of hierarchical porous zinc oxide (ZnO) microspheres with highly effificient adsorption of Congo red, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 490 (2017) 242-251.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.11.049

[6] C. Qi, X. Liu, J. Ma, C. Lin, X. Li, H. Zhang, Activation of peroxymonosulfate by base: implications for the degradation of organic pollutants, Chemosphere 151 (2016) 280-288.

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.02.089

[7] C. Sushma, S.G. Kumar, Advancements in the zinc oxide nanomaterials for effificient photocatalysis, Chem. Pap. 71 (2017) 2023-2042.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-017-0217-5

[8] Y. Jin, J. Wang, B. Sun, J. C. Blakesley and N. C. Greenham, Nano Lett., 8 (2008) 1649–1653.

[9] K. Qi, B. Cheng, J. Yu, W. Ho, Review on the improvement of the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of ZnO, J. Alloy. Comp. 727 (2017) 792-820.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2017.08.142

[10] Z. W. Pan, Nanobelts of semiconducting oxides. Science, 291 (2001) 1947-1949.

[11] J. Y. Lao, J. Y. Huang, D. Z. Wang, ZnO nanobridges and nanonails. Nano Letters, 3 (2003) 235-238.

DOI: 10.1021/nl025884u

[12] J. Lao, J. Wen, J. Huang, Hierarchical ZnO nanostructures. Nano Letters, 2 (2002) 1287-1291.

[13] M. H. Huang, Room-temperature ultraviolet nanowire nanolasers. Science, 292 (2001) 1897-1899.

[14] S. Wang, P. Kuang, B. Cheng, ZnO hierarchical microsphere for enhanced photocatalytic activity. Journal of Alloys & Compounds, 741 (2018) 622-632.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.01.141

[15] M. Nafees, W. Liaqut, S. Ali S, Synthesis of ZnO/Al:ZnO nanomaterial: structural and band gap variation in ZnO nanomaterial by Al doping. Applied Nanoscience, 3 (2013) 49-55.

DOI: 10.1007/s13204-012-0067-y

[16] H. Zhang, D. Yang, X. Ma, et al. Synthesis of flower-like ZnO nanostructures by an organic-free hydrothermal process. Nanotechnology, 15 (2004) 622-626.

DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/15/5/037

[17] S. Rani, P. Suri, P. K. Shishodia, et al. Synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO powder via sol–gel route for dye-sensitized solar cells. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2008, 92 (12):1639-1645.

DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2008.07.015

[18] Y. Liu, D. Wang, Q. Peng, et al. Directly assembling ligand-free ZnO nanocrystals into three-dimensional mesoporous structures by oriented attachment. Inorganic Chemistry, 50 (2011) 5841-5847.

DOI: 10.1021/ic2009013

[19] C. D. Wagner, L. H. Gale, R. H. Raymond, Two-dimensional chemical state plots: a standardized data set for use in identifying chemical states by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Analytical Chemistry, 51 (1979) 466-482.

DOI: 10.1021/ac50040a005

[20] J. C. C. Fan, J. B. Goodenough, X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy Studies of Sn-Doped Indium Oxide Films. Journal of Applied Physics, 48 (1977) 3524-3531.

DOI: 10.1063/1.324149

[21] I. G. Morozov, O. V. Belousova, D. Ortega, et al. Structural, optical, XPS and magnetic properties of Zn particles capped by ZnO nanoparticles. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 633 (2015) 237-245.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.01.285

[22] H. Zhang, X. Lv, Y. Li, et al. P25-graphene composite as a high performance photocatalyst. Acs Nano, 4 (2010) 380-386.

DOI: 10.1021/nn901221k

[23] S. Zhang, H. S. Chen, K. M. Postolek and Ping. Yang. ZnO nanoflowers with single crystal structure towards enhanced gas sensing and photocatalysis. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 17 (2015) 30300-30306.

DOI: 10.1039/c5cp04860e