10.1186/2193-8865-3-36

Fabrication of ZnO nanoparticles by solution-combustion method for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye

Show Details XML HTML PDF
  • Mohammad Amdad Ali*1,
  • Mahmudur Rahman Idris2,
  • Md Emran Quayum2,
  1. Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, BD
  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, BD
Cover Image

Published in Issue 30-05-2013

How to Cite

Ali, M. A., Idris, M. R., & Quayum, M. E. (2013). Fabrication of ZnO nanoparticles by solution-combustion method for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye. Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry, 3(1 (December 2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-8865-3-36
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

HTML views: 49

PDF views: 143

Abstract

Abstract ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully fabricated by simple combustion process, in which Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 precursors migrated with the aid of alcoholic fuel to the top of a burning lampwick and the chemical reactions occurred at the solvent-air interface of the ignited lampwick, yielding ZnO NPs. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic analysis and energy-dispersive spectroscopic elemental analysis revealed that the fabricated ZnO NPs are comprised mainly of Zn and O atoms. It was observed that most of the ZnO NPs exhibited an ellipsoidal shape having a particle size of 100 to 200 nm for short-length axes and 100 to 400 nm for long-length axes. To see the effectiveness of the fabricated ZnO NPs, it was employed as photocatalytic agent to degrade the organic dye, viz. Rhodamine B, and catalytic activities under both sunlight and UV light were analyzed and compared with respect to the commercially available ZnO (Fluka). The initial degradation rate in fabricated ZnO NPs was almost double than that of ZnO (Fluka). Furthermore, by exposing to sunlight for 1 h, the fabricated ZnO NPs degraded Rhodamine B dye more than 80%, whereas it was only approximately 35% for ZnO (Fluka). Photocatalytic activities might be attributed to porous structures with larger active surface area of the nanosized ZnO particles. With this advantage, 96% of organic contaminants were degraded by the fabricated ZnO NPs upon exposure to sunlight for 2 h.

Keywords

  • Nanoparticles,
  • Photocatalyst,
  • Organic dye,
  • Wastewater treatment
HTML PDF

References

  1. Curri et al. (2003) Colloidal oxide nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye (pp. 285-289) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0928-4931(02)00250-3
  2. Karunakaran et al. (2010) Cu-doped TiO2 nanoparticles for photocatalytic disinfection of bacteria under visible light (pp. 68-74) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2010.08.012
  3. Wu et al. (2011) Enhanced photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanofibers and their flexible composite films: decomposition of organic dyes and efficient H2 generation from ethanol–water mixtures 4(4) (pp. 360-369) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-010-0090-9
  4. Karimi and Zohoori (2013) Superior photocatalytic degradation of azo dyes in aqueous solutions using TiO2/SrTiO3 nanocomposite https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-8865-3-32
  5. Bhatkhande et al. (2001) Photo catalytic degradation for environmental applications – a review (pp. 102-116) https://doi.org/10.1002/jctb.532
  6. Vanaja et al. (2013) Phytosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by Cissus quadrangularis: influence of physicochemical factors https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-8865-3-17
  7. Ullah and Dutta (2008) Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes with manganese-doped ZnO nanoparticles (pp. 194-200) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.12.033
  8. Joo et al. (2005) Synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals with cone, hexagonal cone, and rod shapes via non-hydrolytic ester elimination sol–gel reactions (pp. 1873-1877) https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200402109
  9. Marci et al. (2001) Preparation characterization and photocatalytic activity of polycrystalline ZnO/TiO2 systems. 1. Surface and bulk characterization (pp. 1026-1032) https://doi.org/10.1021/jp003172r
  10. Ni et al. (2005) Hydrothermal preparation and optical properties of ZnO nanorods (pp. 42-47) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mseb.2005.02.065
  11. Pal and Santiago (2005) Controlling the morphology of ZnO nanostructures in a low-temperature hydrothermal process (pp. 15317-15321) https://doi.org/10.1021/jp052496i
  12. Jie et al. (2004) Synthesis and characterization of aligned ZnO nanorods on porous aluminum oxide template (pp. 11976-11980) https://doi.org/10.1021/jp048974r
  13. Ni et al. (2007) Preparation, characterization and property study of zinc oxide nanoparticles via a simple solution-combusting method (pp. 155603-155608) https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/18/15/155603
  14. Yiamsawas et al. (2009) Preparation of ZnO nanostructures by solvothermal method 23(1) (pp. 75-78)
  15. Bell (2005) Solvothermal routes for synthesis of zinc oxide nanorods (pp. Y2.6.1-Y2.6.11)