Growth mechanism and photocatalytic evaluation of flower-like ZnO micro-structures prepared with SDBS assistance

• Published in: International journal of minerals, metallurgy and materials Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 729 - 737
• Main Authors: Shao, Hong-mei, Shen, Xiao-yi, Li, Xue-tian, Cui, Yong, Zhang, Wei, Xu, Wen-di, Shao, Zhong-cai, Zhai, Yu-chun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing University of Science and Technology Beijing 01.04.2021; Springer Nature B.V; School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering,Shenyang Ligong University,Shenyang 110159,China%School of Metallurgy,Northeastern University,Shenyang 110819,China
• Subjects: Ammonium sulfate; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Corrosion and Coatings; Degradation; Dispersants; Flowers; Glass; Materials Science; Metallic Materials; Metallurgy; Microstructure; Morphology; Natural Materials; Photocatalysis; Pollutants; Polyethylene glycol; Raw materials; Rhodamine; Solid phases; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Tribology; Zinc; Zinc oxide; flower-like ZnO microstructures; photocatalytic capacity; growth mechanism; hydrothermal process
• ISSN: 1674-4799; 1869-103X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12613-020-2138-5

Flower-like ZnO microstructures were successfully produced using a hydrothermal method employing ZnSO 4 /(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 as a raw material. The effect of the operating parameters of the hydrothermal temperature, OH − /Zn 2+ molar ratio, time, and amount of dispersant on the phase structure and micromorphology of the ZnO particles were investigated. The synthesis conditions of the flower-like ZnO microstructures were: hydrothermal temperature of 160°C, OH − /Zn 2+ molar ratio of 5:1, reaction time of 4 h, and 4 mL of dispersant. The flower-like ZnO microstructures were comprised of hexagon-shaped ZnO rods arranged in a radiatively. Degradation experiments of Rhodamine B with the flower-like ZnO microstructures demonstrated a degradation efficiency of 97.6% after 4 h of exposure to sunshine, indicating excellent photocatalytic capacity. The growth mechanism of the flower-like ZnO microstructures was presented.