In this study ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized by the sol-gel method and the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the organic contaminants in water under low-power ultra-violet type A lamp (UV-A) was investigated. The characterizations of ZnO NPs were investigated by x-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-Vis absorption spectrum. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NPs was investigated detailly including the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB), and phenol under UV-A lamp irradiation. Furthermore, the trapping tests with scavengers were also conducted to determine the primary parameter for the photocatalysis of ZnO NPs.
We showed well-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays synthesized using hydrothermal method at atmospheric pressure. The influence of fabrication conditions such as Zn2+/hexamethylentriamin concentration ratio, and growth temperature on the formation of ZnO nanorods was investigated. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis were used to confirm the single crystal of ZnO nanorods, which showed wurtzite structure with growth direction of [0001] (the c-axis). Photoluminescence (PL) measurements of ZnO nanorods revealed an intense ultraviolet peak at 388.5 nm (3.19 eV) at room temperature. The results showed that the ZnO seed layers had strong influence on the growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods. The gas sensor based on ZnO nanorod arrays had the most selectivity with n-butanol gas (within 2 surveyed gas: ethanol and n-butanol) and showed a higher sensitivity of 222, fast response time of 15 seconds, recovery time of 110 seconds and lower operating temperature of 200-250 °C than the sensor based on the ZnO film in the same detecting conditions.
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