Monodispersed colloidal zinc oxide nanospheres with various size scales: synthesis, formation mechanism, and enhanced photocatalytic activity
Source abstract
Abstract
In the present study, monodispersed colloidal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanospheres with high uniformity were successfully synthesized via a newly developed two-stage solution route, designated the seed solution method, based on a polyol-mediated preparation approach. The narrow size distribution of the synthesized ZnO nanospheres can be precisely controlled in sizes ranging from 110 nm through 330 nm during the second stage of the synthesis by varying the amount of seed solution added. The structure, composition, morphology, size, and size distribution of the as-synthesized ZnO nanospheres were characterized. The results of our experiments suggest that a core–shell growth mechanism was employed for the first time to form ZnO nanospheres. Furthermore, the as-obtained porous ZnO products, which were calcinated at 400 °C, were assessed as an efficient heterogeneous photocatalyst for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution under UV-light irradiation at room temperature. Interestingly, the calcinated ZnO products exhibited photocatalytic activity that was significantly enhanced in comparison with that of uncalcinated ZnO. Moreover, particle size had a crucial effect on degradation efficiency. Reducing the particle size improved the efficiency of photocatalytic MB degradation, indicating that the photocatalytic reaction of MB on the ZnO product was a structure-sensitive reaction. The as-obtained ZnO products were easily separated from waste solutions and reused, demonstrating their significant potential as photocatalysts in environmental remediation applications.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: ZnO doping and properties · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Mercury impact and mitigation studies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (60)
Show source-provided references
1. Kisch H (2013) Semiconductor photocatalysis-mechanistic and synthetic aspects. Angew Chem Int Ed 52:812–84710.1002/anie.201201200 ↗
2. Etacheri V, Roshan R, Kumar V (2012) Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles for efficient sunlight-driven photocatalysis. ACS Appl Mater Inter 4:2717–272510.1021/am300359h ↗
3. Liu HR, Hu YC, Zhang ZX et al (2015) Synthesis of spherical Ag/ZnO heterostructural composites with excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light and UV irradiation. Appl Surf Sci 355:644–65210.1016/j.apsusc.2015.07.012 ↗
4. An CH, Liu JX, Wang ST et al (2014) Concaving AgI sub-microparticles for enhanced photocatalysis. Nano Energy 9:204–21110.1016/j.nanoen.2014.07.015 ↗
5. Kong M, Li YZ, Chen X et al (2011) Tuning the relative concentration ratio of bulk defects to surface defects in TiO2 nanocrystals leads to high photocatalytic efficiency. J Am Chem Soc 133:16414–1641710.1021/ja207826q ↗
6. Velmurugan R, Selvam K, Krishnakumar B et al (2011) An efficient reusable and antiphotocorrosive nano ZnO for the mineralization of reactive orange 4 under UV-A light. Sep Purif Technol 80:119–12410.1016/j.seppur.2011.04.018 ↗
7. Chen DM, Wang ZH, Ren TZ et al (2014) Influence od defects on the photocatalytic activity of ZnO. J Phys Chem C 118:15300–1530710.1021/jp5033349 ↗
8. Li S, Ge X, Jiang S et al (2015) Synthesis of octahedral and cubic Cu2O microcrystals in sub-and super-critical methanol and their photocatalytic performance. J Mater Sci 50:4115–4121. doi: 10.1007/s10853-015-8967-310.1007/s10853-015-8967-3 ↗
9. Al-Hamdi AM, Sillanpää M, Dutta J (2014) Photocatalytic degradation of phenol in aqueous solution by rare earth-doped SnO2 nanoparticles. J Mater Sci 49:5151–5159. doi: 10.1007/s10853-014-8223-210.1007/s10853-014-8223-2 ↗
10. Liu SQ, Tang ZR, Sun YG et al (2015) One-dimension-based spatially ordered architectures for solar energy conversion. Chem Soc Rev 44:5053–505710.1039/C4CS00408F ↗
11. Lv JG, Yan PP, Zhao M et al (2015) Effect of ammonia on morphology, wettability and photorespomse of ZnO nanorods grown by hydrothermal method. J Alloys Compd 648:676–68010.1016/j.jallcom.2015.07.068 ↗
12. Pan L, Wang SB, Mi WB et al (2014) Undoped ZnO abundant with metal vacancies. Nano Energy 9:71–7910.1016/j.nanoen.2014.06.029 ↗
13. Iglesias-Juez A, Viñes F, Lamiel-García O et al (2015) Morphology effects in photoactive ZnO nanostructures: photooxidative activity of polar surfaces. J Mater Chem A 3:8782–879210.1039/C5TA01111F ↗
14. Kind H, Yan H, Messer B et al (2002) Nanowire ultraviolet photodetectors and optical switches. Adv Mater 14:158–16010.1002/1521-4095(20020116)14:2<158::AID-ADMA158>3.0.CO;2-W ↗
15. Ahn J, Park H, Mastro MA et al (2011) Nanostructured n-ZnO/thin film p-silicon heterojunction light-emitting diodes. Opt Express 19:26006–2601010.1364/OE.19.026006 ↗
16. Arya SK, Saha S, Ramirez-Vick JE et al (2012) Recent advances in ZnO nanostructures and thin films for biosensor applications: review. Anal Chim Acta 737:1–2110.1016/j.aca.2012.05.048 ↗
17. Wang ZL, Song JH (2006) Piezoelectric nanogenerators based on zinc oxide nanowire arrays. Science 312:242–24610.1126/science.1124005 ↗
18. Gnichwitz JF, Marczak R, Werner F et al (2010) Efficient synthetic access to cationic dendrons and their application for ZnO nanoparticles surface functionalization: new building blocks for dye-sensitized solar cells. J Am Chem Soc 132:17910–1792010.1021/ja106076h ↗
19. Bai T, Xie YH, Hu J et al (2015) Novel one-dimensional ZnO nanorods synthesized through a two-step post-treatment for efficiency enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells. J Alloys Compd 644:350–35310.1016/j.jallcom.2015.05.040 ↗
20. Mukhopadhyay S, Das PP, Maity S et al (2015) Solution grown ZnO rods: synthesis, characterization and defect mediated photocatalytic activity. Appl Catal B 165:128–13810.1016/j.apcatb.2014.09.045 ↗
21. Tian CG, Zhang Q, Wu AP et al (2012) Cost-effective large-scale synthesis of ZnO photocatalyst with excellent performance for dye photodegradation. Chem Commun 48:2858–286010.1039/c2cc16434e ↗
22. Pimentel A, Rodrigues J, Duarte P et al (2015) Effect of solvents on ZnO nanostructures synthesized by solvothermal method assisted by microwave radiation: a photocatalytic study. J Mater Sci 50:5777–5787. doi: 10.1007/s10853-015-9125-710.1007/s10853-015-9125-7 ↗
23. Pan ZW, Dai ZR, Wang ZL (2001) Nanobelts of semiconducting oxides. Science 291:1947–194910.1126/science.1058120 ↗
24. Murugan R, Woods T, Fleming P et al (2014) Synthesis and photocatalytic application of ZnO nanoarrows. Mater Lett 128:404–40710.1016/j.matlet.2014.04.081 ↗
25. Lee J, Choi JS, Yoon M (2014) Fabrication of ZnO nanoplates for visible light-induced imaging of living cells. J Mater Chem B 2:2311–231710.1039/c4tb00248b ↗
26. Roza L, Rahman MYA, Umar AA et al (2015) Direct growth of oriented ZnO nanotubes by self-selective etching at lower temperature for photo-electrochemical (PEC) solar cell application. J Alloys Compd 618:153–15810.1016/j.jallcom.2014.08.113 ↗
27. Liu X, Gu LL, Zhang QP et al (2014) All-printable band-edge modulated ZnO nanowire photodetectors with ultra-high detectivity. Nat Commun 5:400710.1038/ncomms5007 ↗
28. Jadhav AH, Patil SH, Sathaye SD et al (2014) A facile room temperature synthesis of ZnO nanoflower thin films grown at a solid–liquid interface. J Mater Sci 49:5945–5954. doi: 10.1007/s10853-014-8313-110.1007/s10853-014-8313-1 ↗
29. Zhang QF, Chou TP, Russo B et al (2008) Aggregation of ZnO nanocrystallites for high conversion efficiency in dye-sensitized solar cells. Angew Chem Int Ed 47:2402–240610.1002/anie.200704919 ↗
30. Xie XY, Li LY, Zhan P et al (2014) Fast one-step synthesis of ZnO sub-microspheres in PEG200. J Mater Sci 49:2355–2361. doi: 10.1007/s10853-013-7936-y10.1007/s10853-013-7936-y ↗
31. Zhang GK, Shen X, Yang YQ (2011) Facile synthesis of monodisperse porous ZnO spheres by a soluble starch-assisted method and their photocatalytic activity. J Phys Chem C 115:7145–715210.1021/jp110256s ↗
32. Fang YL, Li ZY, Xu S et al (2013) Optical properties and photocatalytic activities of spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO structures synthesized by facile hydrothermal method. J Alloys Compd 575:359–36310.1016/j.jallcom.2013.05.183 ↗
33. Ábrahám N, Sebök D, Papp S et al (2011) Two-dimensional arrangement of monodisperse ZnO particles with Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Colloid Surface A 384:80–8910.1016/j.colsurfa.2011.03.025 ↗
34. Zhan XH, Chen F, Salcic Z et al (2012) Synthesis of ZnO submicron spheres by a two-stage solution method. Appl Nanosci 2:63–7010.1007/s13204-011-0043-y ↗
35. Liu JP, Huang XT, Li YY et al (2006) Preparation and photoluminescence of ZnO complex structures with controlled morphology. Mater Lett 60:1354–135910.1016/j.matlet.2005.11.056 ↗
36. Yıldırım ÖA, Durucan C (2010) Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles elaborated by microemulsion method. J Alloys Compd 506:944–94910.1016/j.jallcom.2010.07.125 ↗
37. Jiang H, Hu JQ, Gu F et al (2008) Large-scaled, uniform, monodispersed ZnO colloidal microspheres. J Phys Chem C 112:12138–1214110.1021/jp8024232 ↗
38. Lei AH, Qu BH, Zhou WC et al (2012) Facile synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity of hierarchical porous ZnO microspheres. Mater Lett 66:72–7510.1016/j.matlet.2011.08.011 ↗
39. Wang SS, Xu AW (2013) Template-free facile solution synthesis and optical properties of ZnO mesocrystals. CrystEngComm 15:376–38110.1039/C2CE26638E ↗
40. Dilger S, Wessig M, Wagner MR et al (2014) Nanoarchitecture effects on persistent room temperature photoconductivity and thermal conductivity in ceramic semiconductors: mesoporous, yolk-shell, and hollow ZnO spheres. Cryst Growth Des 14:4593–460110.1021/cg500680g ↗
41. Li CG, Zhao Y, Wang L et al (2010) Polyol-mediated synthesis of highly water-soluble ZnO colloidal nanocrystal clusters. Eur J Inorg Chem 2010:217–22010.1002/ejic.200900833 ↗
42. Wahab R, Mishra A, Yun SI et al (2012) Fabrication, growth mechanism and antibacterial activity of ZnO micro-spheres prepared via solution process. Biomass Bioenergy 39:227–23610.1016/j.biombioe.2012.01.005 ↗
43. Feldmann C, Jungk HO (2001) Polyol-mediated preparation of nanoscale oxide particles. Angew Chem Int Ed 40:359–36210.1002/1521-3773(20010119)40:2<359::AID-ANIE359>3.0.CO;2-B ↗
44. Feldmann C (2003) Polyol-mediated synthesis of nanoscale functional materials. Adv Funct Mater 13:101–10710.1002/adfm.200390014 ↗
45. Wang HH, Xie CS, Zhang W et al (2007) Comparison of dye degradation efficiency using ZnO powders with various size scales. J Hazard Mater 141:645–65210.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.07.021 ↗
46. Dodd AC, McKinley AJ, Saunders M et al (2006) Effect of particle size on the photocatalytic activity of nanoparticulate zinc oxide. J Nanopart Res 8:43–5110.1007/s11051-005-5131-z ↗
47. Yang C, Tang LM, Li QS et al (2015) Preparation of monodisperse colloidal ZnO nanoparticles and their optical properties. NANO 10:155007410.1142/S1793292015500745 ↗
48. Jain N, Bhargava A, Panwar J (2014) Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using biologically synthesized “protein-capped” ZnO nanoparticles. Chem Eng J 243:549–55510.1016/j.cej.2013.11.085 ↗
49. Kocakuşakoğlu A, Dağlar M, Konyar M et al (2015) Photocatalytic activity of reticulated ZnO porous ceramics in degradation of azo dye molecules. J Eur Ceram Soc 35:2845–285310.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2015.03.042 ↗
50. Pudukudy M, Hetieqa A, Yaakob Z (2014) Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of annealing dependent quasi spherical and capsule like ZnO nanostructures. Appl Surf Sci 319:221–22910.1016/j.apsusc.2014.07.050 ↗
51. Zhou ZZ, Ding Y, Zu XH et al (2011) ZnO spheres and nanorods formation: their dependence on agitation in solution synthesis. J Nanopart Res 13:1689–169610.1007/s11051-010-9922-5 ↗
52. Seeling EW, Tang B, Yamilov A et al (2003) Self-assembled 3D photonic crystals from ZnO colloidal spheres. Mater Chem Phys 80:257–26310.1016/S0254-0584(02)00492-3 ↗
53. Wang Q, Zhang QF, Sun H et al (2007) Growth and optical characteristics of ZnO photonic crystals. Acta Phys Chim Sin 23:1667–167010.3866/PKU.WHXB20071103 ↗
54. Gawande MB, Goswami A, Asefa T et al (2015) Core–shell nanoparticles: synthesis and applications in catalysis and electrocatalysis. Chem Soc Rev 44:7540–759010.1039/C5CS00343A ↗
55. Park J, Joo J, Kwon SG et al (2007) Synthesis of monodisperse spherical nanocrystals. Angew Chem Int Ed 46:4630–466010.1002/anie.200603148 ↗
56. Chandraboss VL, Karthikeyan B, Senthilvelan S (2014) Experimental and first-principles study of guanine adsorption on ZnO clusters. Phys Chem Chem Phys 16:23461–2347510.1039/C4CP03274H ↗
57. Zang ZG, Wen MQ, Chen WW et al (2015) Strong yellow emission of ZnO hollow nanospheres fabricated using polystyrene spheres as templates. Mater Design 84:418–42110.1016/j.matdes.2015.06.141 ↗
58. Yang C, Li QS, Tang LM et al (2015) Synthesis, photocatalytic activity, and photogenerated hydroxyl radicals of monodisperse colloidal ZnO nanospheres. Appl Surf Sci 357:1928–193810.1016/j.apsusc.2015.09.140 ↗
59. Mclaren A, Valdes-Solis T, Li GQ et al (2009) Shape and size effects of ZnO nanocrystals on photocatalytic activity. J Am Chem Soc 131:12540–1254110.1021/ja9052703 ↗
60. Boudart M (1969) Catalysis by supported metals. Adv Catal 20:153–16610.1016/S0360-0564(08)60271-0 ↗