Preparation of ZnO Nanoparticles with High Dispersibility Based on Oriented Attachment (OA) Process

Flower-like ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by a facile wet chemical method. Structural, optical and photocatalytic properties of these nanostructures have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. SEM and TEM studies revealed flower-like structures consisting of nanosheets, formed due to oriented attachment of ZnO nanoparticles. Flower-like ZnO structures showed enhanced photocatalytic activity towards sun-light driven photodegradation of methylene blue dye (MB) as compared to ZnO nanoparticles. XRD, UV–vis absorption, PL, FTIR and TEM studies revealed the formation of Zn(OH)2 surface layer on ZnO nanostructures upon ageing. We demonstrate that the formation of a passivating Zn(OH)2 surface layer on the ZnO nanostructures upon ageing deteriorates their efficiency to photocatalytically degrade of MB.

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Oriented attachment induced morphology modulation of ZnO nanoparticles at low temperature using KOH as a morphology controller

New Journal of Chemistry ◽

10.1039/d1nj02248b ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

SUMIT MUKHERJEE ◽

Subhamay Pramanik ◽

Sandip Das ◽

Subhabrata Chakraborty ◽

Shyamal Mondal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

Zno Nanoparticles ◽

Oriented Attachment ◽

Chemical Route ◽

Controlling Parameter

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) of quasi-spherical and rod shape were synthesized following a low-temperature chemical route by varying the primary environment with KOH concentration as the controlling parameter. The ratios of...

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Polycaprolactone based membranes for the degradation of diclofenac present in water samples using ZnO nanoparticles as the active agent

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2020.417 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (61) ◽

pp. 3153-3161

Author(s):

Marco Antonio Juárez Sánchez ◽

Miguel Ángel Meléndez Lira ◽

Celestino Odín Rodríguez Nava

Keyword(s):

Zno Nanoparticles ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Active Agent ◽

Heterogeneous Photocatalysis ◽

Nano Particles ◽

Electrical Characteristics ◽

Unit Operation ◽

Fields Of Study ◽

Drug Contamination ◽

Positive Results

AbstractDrug contamination in water is one of the current fields of study. Since 1990, the presence of drugs in drinking water has been a concern to scientists and public. In Mexico, these organic compounds are not efficiently removed in wastewater treatment plants; therefore, alternative methodologies have been studied that allow these compounds to have a high percentage of degradation or be completely degraded. One example of these techniques is heterogeneous photocatalysis which has obtained positive results in the degradation of drugs using ZnO nanoparticles. These are commonly selected for their electrical characteristics, even though they disperse in water and an additional unit operation is required to separate them from the liquid medium. To eliminate drugs with nano particles in a single stage, polycaprolactone-based membranes with adhered ZnO nanoparticles, by means of electrospinning, were prepared to degrade drugs such as diclofenac. The technique used has shown to efficiently break down diclofenac in 4 hours according to the capillary electrophoresis readings.

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