Enhanced photocatalytic behavior of ZnO nanorods decorated with a Au, ZnWO4, and Au/ZnWO4 composite: Synthesis and characterization

• Published in: Colloid and interface science communications Vol. 47; p. 100591
• Main Authors: Somdee, Assanee, Wannapop, Surangkana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Au/ZnWO4/ZnO nanorods; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Heterostructure; Hydrothermal method; Photocatalysis; Heterostructure; Hydrothermal method; Au/ZnWO4/ZnO nanorods; Photocatalysis; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• ISSN: 2215-0382; 2215-0382
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2022.100591

The present work studied ZnO nanorod (ZnO NRs) enhanced with ZnWO4 and gold (Au) nanoparticles. The ZnO NRs were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. Subsequently, the hydrothermal method was used to load ZnWO4 on the ZnO surface to form the ZnWO4/ZnO NRs heterostructure. Furthermore, Au nanoparticles were coated on the ZnO NRs and ZnWO4/ZnO NRs to achieve the Au/ZnO NRs and Au/ZnWO4/ZnO NRs heterostructures, respectively. The samples were charactered by XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, UV–Vis, and XPS techniques. The photocatalytic behavior of ZnO and the various enhancements was investigated. The results showed that the as mentioned coating materials can enhance the photocatalytic properties of the ZnO material where the Au/ZnWO4/ZnO sample is the best photocatalyst compared to the others. According to the EIS and PL study, the Au/ZnWO4 decoration leads to the low e−/h+ pairs recombination rate which is attributed to the high photocatalytic performance. [Display omitted] •ZnO nanorod was grown on the FTO substrate by the hydrothermal method.•The photocatalytic activity of the ZnO nanorod, Au/ZnO, ZnWO4/ZnO heterostructure, and Au/ZnWO4/ZnO heterostructures was investigated by methylene blue degradation under UV light irradiation.•Au nanoparticles and ZnWO4 decorations had an influence on the electron/hole separation efficiency, which consequently increased the photocatalytic performance of the ZnO based thin film photocatalyst.