TY - JOUR
T1 - Optical and photocatalytic behaviours of nanoparticles in the Ti-Zn-O binary system
AU - Goodall, Josephine B.M.
AU - Kellici, Suela
AU - Illsley, Derek
AU - Lines, Robert
AU - Knowles, Jonathan C.
AU - Darr, Jawwad A.
PY - 2014/6/24
Y1 - 2014/6/24
N2 - Continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) has been used as a rapid and clean, synthetic method to produce a range of crystalline nanoparticles in the Ti-Zn-O binary system. The nanopowders were prepared from aqueous solutions of titanium(iv) bis(ammonium lactato)dihydroxide (TIBALD) and hydrated zinc nitrate, respectively, using a CHFS reactor which uses superheated water (at 400°C and 24.1 MPa) as a reagent and crystallizing medium. The resulting nanopowders were heat-treated at 850°C for five hours in air to give photoactive semiconductor mixtures of rutile and zinc oxide and/or zinc titanates. The as-prepared powders and their corresponding heat-treated mixed phase photocatalysts were characterized using powder X-ray synchrotron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, BET surface area measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Because of the interest for these materials in UVA and UVB attenuating materials, the UV-Vis profiles of the nanocomposites and solid solutions were studied. Photocatalytic activity of the samples towards the decolourisation of methylene blue dye was also assessed. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.
AB - Continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis (CHFS) has been used as a rapid and clean, synthetic method to produce a range of crystalline nanoparticles in the Ti-Zn-O binary system. The nanopowders were prepared from aqueous solutions of titanium(iv) bis(ammonium lactato)dihydroxide (TIBALD) and hydrated zinc nitrate, respectively, using a CHFS reactor which uses superheated water (at 400°C and 24.1 MPa) as a reagent and crystallizing medium. The resulting nanopowders were heat-treated at 850°C for five hours in air to give photoactive semiconductor mixtures of rutile and zinc oxide and/or zinc titanates. The as-prepared powders and their corresponding heat-treated mixed phase photocatalysts were characterized using powder X-ray synchrotron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, BET surface area measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Because of the interest for these materials in UVA and UVB attenuating materials, the UV-Vis profiles of the nanocomposites and solid solutions were studied. Photocatalytic activity of the samples towards the decolourisation of methylene blue dye was also assessed. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905455122&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1039/c3ra48030e
DO - 10.1039/c3ra48030e
M3 - Article
SN - 2046-2069
VL - 4
SP - 31799
EP - 31809
JO - RSC Advances
JF - RSC Advances
IS - 60
ER -