Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were grown on a paper support prepared from soft wood pulp. The photocatalytic activity of a sheet of paper with ZnO nanorods embedded in its porous matrix has been studied. ZnO nanorods were firmly attached to cellulose fibers and the photocatalytic paper samples were reused several times with nominal decrease in efficiency. Photodegradation of up to 93% was observed for methylene blue in the presence of paper filled with ZnO nanorods upon irradiation with visible light at 963 Wm -2 for 120 min. Under similar conditions, photodegradation of approximately 35% was observed for methyl orange. Antibacterial tests revealed that the photocatalytic paper inhibits the growth of Escherichia coli under room lighting conditions.
Dye wastewater from textile industries is reported to be a major river pollutant. Zinc stannate (ZTO) was grown directly on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod-coated polyester fiber membranes and porous ceramic substrates by a mild hydrothermal method, where the nanorods supplied zinc ions for ZTO growth. Photocatalytic degradation of a methyl orange aqueous solution under UV-light irradiation was monitored for up to 3 h duration. The higher photocatalytic activity of ZnO/ZTO catalysts on ceramic substrates was attributed to the large surface area of the nanocomposites. 50% methyl orange and ∼95% methyl orange could be degraded within 1 and 3 h of UV-light irradiation, respectively, by using the porous-ceramic-supported catalysts (C-ZnO/10ZTO), because of efficient charge separation. Moreover, the formation of ZTO islands on ZnO nanorods led to an enhancement in the photocatalytic activity in the exposed areas of electron-rich ZnO nanorods.
SummaryPaper with antimicrobial properties was developed through in situ growth of ZnO nanorods. The targeted application for this type of paper is in health centers as wallpaper, writing paper, facemasks, tissue paper, etc. The paper was tested on three model microbes, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and common airborne fungus Aspergillus niger. No viable bacterial colonies or fungal spores could be detected in the areas surrounding test samples of the antimicrobial paper. Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli were found to be inhibited in an area that is 239% and 163% the area of the paper sample under different room lighting conditions, i.e., halogen and fluorescent lamp illumination, respectively. For Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus the zones of inhibition surrounding the paper samples are 102% and 70%, and for Aspergillus niger, 224% and 183% of the sample area, under similar lighting conditions.
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