Growth Mechanism of Sea Urchin ZnO Nanostructures in Aqueous Solutions and Their Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Organic Dyes

• DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01772
• Publication Date: 2019-08-14T13:34:31Z
• Authors: Hiran D. Kiriarac...; Khaled M. Abouzeid; Longli Bo; M. Samy El-Shall
• Keywords: Nanorod; Hexamethylenetetramine; Wurtzite crystal structure; Photodegradation; Rhodamine B; Ammonium bromide

This work reports the development of a fast and simple route for synthesis ZnO sea urchin (SU) nanostructures by formation assembly nanorods under favorable growth conditions in an aqueous solution. The thermal treatment basic zinc acetate solution ethanol results aggregated seed clusters consisting small nanorods, which were then grown precursor containing Zn(NO3)2·6H2O hexamethylenetetramine to assemble SU structures from anisotropic on surface clusters. Each nanoparticle grew sequentially into nanorod, concentric core yielding unique SU-like shape. In presence capping agent such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), not formed, CTAB-capped resulted separated rods with average aspect ratios ∼10. exhibit hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure higher specific area (26.9 m2/g) than (17.7 m2/g). show superior photocatalytic efficiency degradation three common organic dyes compared nanorods. removal efficiencies indigo carmine, methylene blue, rhodamine B 99, 86, 96%, respectively, after 1 h UV irradiation. Therefore, have potential be versatile photocatalyst photodegradation industrial wastewater.