Abstract
Environmental pollution from human and industrial activities has received much attention as it adversely affects human health and bio-diversity. In this work we report efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and explore the role of surface defects in ZnO on the visible light photocatalytic activity. ZnO nanorods were synthesized on glass substrates using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process, while the surface defect states were controlled by annealing the nanorods at various temperatures and were characterized by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the evaluation of phenol photocatalytic degradation. ZnO nanorods with high surface defects exhibited maximum visible light photocatalytic activity, showing 50% degradation of 10 ppm phenol aqueous solution within 2.5 h, with a degradation rate almost four times higher than that of nanorods with lower surface defects. The mineralization process of phenol during degradation was also investigated, and it showed the evolution of different photocatalytic byproducts, such as benzoquinone, catechol, resorcinol and carboxylic acids, at different stages. The results from this study suggest that the presence of surface defects in ZnO nanorods is crucial for its efficient visible light photocatalytic activity, which is otherwise only active in the ultraviolet region.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 238 |
| Journal | Materials |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
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Keywords
- Annealing
- Oxygen vacancy
- Phenol
- Photocatalysis
- Surface defect
- Zinc oxide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
Cite this
Controlled defects of zinc oxide nanorods for efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol. / Al-Sabahi, Jamal; Bora, Tanujjal; Al-Abri, Mohammed; Dutta, Joydeep.
In: Materials, Vol. 9, No. 4, 238, 2016.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Controlled defects of zinc oxide nanorods for efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol
AU - Al-Sabahi, Jamal
AU - Bora, Tanujjal
AU - Al-Abri, Mohammed
AU - Dutta, Joydeep
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - Environmental pollution from human and industrial activities has received much attention as it adversely affects human health and bio-diversity. In this work we report efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and explore the role of surface defects in ZnO on the visible light photocatalytic activity. ZnO nanorods were synthesized on glass substrates using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process, while the surface defect states were controlled by annealing the nanorods at various temperatures and were characterized by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the evaluation of phenol photocatalytic degradation. ZnO nanorods with high surface defects exhibited maximum visible light photocatalytic activity, showing 50% degradation of 10 ppm phenol aqueous solution within 2.5 h, with a degradation rate almost four times higher than that of nanorods with lower surface defects. The mineralization process of phenol during degradation was also investigated, and it showed the evolution of different photocatalytic byproducts, such as benzoquinone, catechol, resorcinol and carboxylic acids, at different stages. The results from this study suggest that the presence of surface defects in ZnO nanorods is crucial for its efficient visible light photocatalytic activity, which is otherwise only active in the ultraviolet region.
AB - Environmental pollution from human and industrial activities has received much attention as it adversely affects human health and bio-diversity. In this work we report efficient visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol using supported zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and explore the role of surface defects in ZnO on the visible light photocatalytic activity. ZnO nanorods were synthesized on glass substrates using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process, while the surface defect states were controlled by annealing the nanorods at various temperatures and were characterized by photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the evaluation of phenol photocatalytic degradation. ZnO nanorods with high surface defects exhibited maximum visible light photocatalytic activity, showing 50% degradation of 10 ppm phenol aqueous solution within 2.5 h, with a degradation rate almost four times higher than that of nanorods with lower surface defects. The mineralization process of phenol during degradation was also investigated, and it showed the evolution of different photocatalytic byproducts, such as benzoquinone, catechol, resorcinol and carboxylic acids, at different stages. The results from this study suggest that the presence of surface defects in ZnO nanorods is crucial for its efficient visible light photocatalytic activity, which is otherwise only active in the ultraviolet region.
KW - Annealing
KW - Oxygen vacancy
KW - Phenol
KW - Photocatalysis
KW - Surface defect
KW - Zinc oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84965053830&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84965053830&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ma9040238
DO - 10.3390/ma9040238
M3 - Article
VL - 9
JO - Materials
JF - Materials
SN - 1996-1944
IS - 4
M1 - 238
ER -