Here, we report a novel and eco-friendly synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) hexagonal bugle beads in a closed polypropylene vessel. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report synthesis of ZnO nanostructures in a closed polypropylene vessel (a simple hydrothermal reactor). Structural, morphological, compositional and optical properties of the nanostructures were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results demonstrate that ZnO nanocrystals grow in a single crystalline hexagonal phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveal formation of nano-dimensional hexagonal bugle beads (base diameter ∼70 nm). The ZnO nanostructures were used to carry photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The beads show high photocatalytic performance against MB dye and degraded 89% of the dye in 120 min of UV light irradiation. The reusability test of zinc oxide bugle beads determine high stability of the photocatalyst.
Mn doping in SrSnO
3
perovskite material via hydrothermal
process under subcritical conditions is reported for the very first
time. The present article aims to carry this perovskite suitable for
blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and spintronic applications. The
influence of various Mn doping percentages on structural, morphological,
compositional, optical, photoluminescent, and magnetic properties
of SrSnO
3
is demonstrated. The perovskite material is grown
in an orthorhombic crystal structure having a space symmetry of
Pnma
along with point group of
mmm
as determined from the Rietveld refinement. Doping is
an excellent way to modify the properties of wide-band-gap perovskite
nanostructures. Incorporation of Mn is the result of exact substitution.
Morphological studies indicate formation of rodlike structures with
thickness in nanoscale dimensions (180–280 nm), and the thickness
is a function of doping concentration. The higher doping concentration
resulted in enhanced growth of the nanorods. Selected area electron
diffraction (SAED) results showed the single-crystal nature of the
nanorods. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirmed the high stability
of the material at elevated temperatures. Also, the doped perovskite
material is transparent in the visible light, active in the ultraviolet
region having a band gap of ∼2.78 eV, and is tuned up to 2.25
eV as the Mn doping concentration reaches 10%. The transfer of excitonic
energy from the host material to the dopant Mn
2+
ion leads
to the formation of spin-forbidden [
4
T
1
–
6
A
1
] emission. Later on, photoluminescence study
indicates an enhancement in luminescence behavior of Mn doped perovskite
nanostructures. The Commission Internationale de l’éclairage
(CIE) diagram drawn to find the color coordinates of the nanorods
determines their suitability for blue LEDs. In addition, Mn doping
results the conversion of diamagnetic SrSnO
3
into a ferromagnetic
material, making the nanorods suitable for spintronic applications.
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