TY - JOUR
T1 - High UV and sunlight photocatalytic performance of porous ZnO nanostructures synthesized by a facile and fast microwave hydrothermal method
AU - Ferreira, Sofia Henriques
AU - Morais, Maria
AU - Nunes, Daniela
AU - Oliveira, Maria João
AU - Rovisco, Ana
AU - Pimentel, Ana
AU - Águas, Hugo
AU - Fortunato, Elvira
AU - Martins, Rodrigo
N1 - info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/787410/EU#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/716510/EU#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/OE/PD%2FBD%2F114086%2F2015/PT#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/317184/EU#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/OE/SFRH%2FBD%2F132057%2F2017/PT#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F50025%2F2020/PT#
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/952169/EU#
PY - 2021/5/4
Y1 - 2021/5/4
N2 - The degradation of organic pollutants in wastewaters assisted by oxide semiconductor nanostructures has been the focus of many research groups over the last decades, along with the synthesis of these nanomaterials by simple, eco-friendly, fast, and cost-effective processes. In this work, porous zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were successfully synthesized via a microwave hydrothermal process. A layered zinc hydroxide carbonate (LZHC) precursor was obtained after 15 min of synthesis and submitted to different calcination temperatures to convert it into porous ZnO nanostructures. The influence of the calcination temperature (300, 500, and 700 °C) on the morphological, structural, and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructureswas investigated. All ZnO samples were tested as photocatalysts in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under UV irradiation and natural sunlight. All samples showed enhanced photocatalytic activity under both light sources, with RhB being practically degraded within 60 min in both situations. The porous ZnO obtained at 700 °C showed the greatest photocatalytic activity due to its high crystallinity, with a degradation rate of 0.091 and 0.084 min-1 for UV light and sunlight, respectively. These results are a very important step towards the use of oxide semiconductors in the degradation of water pollutants mediated by natural sunlight.
AB - The degradation of organic pollutants in wastewaters assisted by oxide semiconductor nanostructures has been the focus of many research groups over the last decades, along with the synthesis of these nanomaterials by simple, eco-friendly, fast, and cost-effective processes. In this work, porous zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were successfully synthesized via a microwave hydrothermal process. A layered zinc hydroxide carbonate (LZHC) precursor was obtained after 15 min of synthesis and submitted to different calcination temperatures to convert it into porous ZnO nanostructures. The influence of the calcination temperature (300, 500, and 700 °C) on the morphological, structural, and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructureswas investigated. All ZnO samples were tested as photocatalysts in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under UV irradiation and natural sunlight. All samples showed enhanced photocatalytic activity under both light sources, with RhB being practically degraded within 60 min in both situations. The porous ZnO obtained at 700 °C showed the greatest photocatalytic activity due to its high crystallinity, with a degradation rate of 0.091 and 0.084 min-1 for UV light and sunlight, respectively. These results are a very important step towards the use of oxide semiconductors in the degradation of water pollutants mediated by natural sunlight.
KW - Hydrothermal synthesis
KW - Microwave
KW - Porous nanostructures
KW - Sunlight photocatalysis
KW - Zinc hydroxide carbonate
KW - ZnO
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105680630&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ma14092385
DO - 10.3390/ma14092385
M3 - Article
C2 - 34064309
AN - SCOPUS:85105680630
SN - 1996-1944
VL - 14
JO - Materials
JF - Materials
IS - 9
M1 - 2385
ER -