Facile synthesis of ZnO nanoglobules and its photocatalytic activity in the degradation of methyl orange dye under UV irradiation

Abstract ZnO nanoglobules were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process. The detailed structural characterizations revealed that the prepared ZnO nanostructures were uniform, crystalline and with the controlled morphology of nanoglobule-like structures. The photocatalytic activity of the nanoglobules was evaluated on degrading methyl orange dye under UV irradiation. A fast decomposition of the MO dye was observed with a degradation rate of ~94.3% within 150 min, which was attributed to the high crystalline quality of ZnO nanostructures that produced reactive sites over the catalyst surface to decompose the MO dye.