Effects of Fuel on Morphology and Photocatalytic Performance of ZnO Nanorods Synthesized by Solution Combustion Method

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1077.2013.12634

Abstract

Abstract: ZnO nanorods was synthesized by solution combustion method using sucrose, citric acid, glycol (or urea) as fuel, and Zn (NO₃)₂ as oxidant. Effects of fuels (namely sucrose, citric acid, glycol or urea) on phase composition, morphology, specific surface area and photocatalytic performance of as-synthesized ZnO were investigated by means of XRD, SEM, BET and absorption spectrum. The results show that ZnO nanorods (average radial size less than 100?nm) with a hexagonal crystal structure can be synthesized at ignition temperature of 500℃. ZnO owns the best crystallization or the highest specific surface area (24.83 m²/g) when using urea or sucrose as fuel, respectively. Photocatalytic tests show that as-synthesized ZnO using sucrose as fuel owns the best photocatalytic performance. The photodegradation efficiency to methyl orange solution (10 ml/L) is 98.2% under the high-pressure mercury lamp irradiation for 60?min, and the reaction is described as the pseudo first order kinetics equation.

Key words: solution combustion method, fuel, ZnO, morphology, photocatalytic performance

CLC Number:

O614

LI Jia-Ke, LIU Xin . Effects of Fuel on Morphology and Photocatalytic Performance of ZnO Nanorods Synthesized by Solution Combustion Method[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2013, 28(8): 880-884.

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