Structural investigation of mechanically activated ZnO powder

Abstract

Commercially available ZnO powder was mechanically activated in a planetary ball mill. In order to investigate the specific surface area, pore volume and microstructure of non-activated and mechanically activated ZnO powders the authors performed N 2 physisorption, SEM and TEM. Crystallite size and lattice microstrain were analyzed by X-ray diffraction method. XRD patterns indicate that peak intensities are getting lower and expend with activation time. The reduction in crystallite size and increasing of lattice microstrain with prolonged milling time were determined applying *Manuscript Click here to view linked References M A N U S C R I P T A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT2 the Rietveld's method. The difference between non-activated and the activated powder has been also observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XPS is used for investigating the chemical bonding of ZnO powder by analyzing the energy of photoelectrons. The lattice vibration spectra were obtained using Raman spectroscopy.In Raman spectra some changes along with atypical resonant scattering were noticed, which were caused by mechanical activation.

Structural and electrical properties of ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) and mechanically activated ZnO nanoparticle composite films

“…Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was conducted using KBr pellets in 500-4000 cm −1 region with Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer (Thermo Scientific, USA). Mechanical activation of ZnO powder is expected to cause a decrease in particle size [40] and an increase in mesopore volume and non-monotonic trends of specific surface area with prolonged milling, caused by powder particle adhesion and breakage due to mechanical activation [41]. TEM micrographs of non-activated and mechanically activated (30 min) ZnO powders are shown in Figure 1.…”

The influence of mechanical activation on structural evolution of nanocrystalline SrTiO3 powders

“…As a result of these processes, surface erosion and agglomeration was observed for the samples activated for 60 minutes and more. The agglomerates can be hard and soft, while the process of their formation is called secondary agglomeration [32]. Soft agglomerates are often formed in mechanically activated…”

Simultaneous enhancement of natural sunlight- and artificial UV-driven photocatalytic activity of a mechanically activated ZnO/SnO2 composite

“…43 For the pristine ZnO powder, used in this study, the existence of surface OH ions is previously conrmed by XPS analysis. 44 Deconvoluted PL spectrum of pristine SnO 2 powder shows a weak band centered at 380 nm, the violet emission at 410 nm, three blue emission bands peaking at 433, 454 and 486 nm, and a strong broad red emission band at 630 nm, Fig. 9(c).…”