A facile co-precipitation synthesis of heterostructured ZrO₂/ZnO nanoparticles as efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment
Quintana Puebla, Alberto (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Altube, Ainhoa (IK4-CIDETEC. Área de Ingeniería de Superficies)
García-Lecina, Eva (IK4-CIDETEC. Área de Ingeniería de Superficies)
Suriñach, Santiago (Suriñach Cornet) (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Baró, M. D.. (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Sort Viñas, Jordi (Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats)
Pellicer Vilà, Eva Maria (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)
Guerrero, Miguel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física)

Date:	2017
Abstract:	ZrO₂-decorated ZnO (ZrO₂/ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. The ZrO₂ amount in the NPs has been varied from 1. 0, 2. 0, 4. 9, to 9. 3% by weight. The resulting NPs are heterostructured and consist of a crystalline ZnO core (wurtzite phase) surrounded by an amorphous ZrO₂ layer. X-ray diffraction analyses support this observation. The NPs show a narrow size distribution and are slightly elongated. Compared to pure ZnO NPs, the hybrid ZrO₂/ZnO ones show enhanced photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV-Vis light. Such enhancement has been partly attributed to the increased amount of oxygen vacancies when ZrO₂ is incorporated into the NPs, as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MAT2014-57960-C3-2-R Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MAT2014-57960-C3-1-R Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad RYC-2012-10839 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2014/SGR-1015
Note:	Gnm3
Note:	Altres ajuts: Basque Government ELKARTEK, FN KK-2015/0010
Rights:	Tots els drets reservats.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Published in:	Journal of materials science, Vol. 52, issue 24 (Dec. 2017) , p. 13779-13789, ISSN 0022-2461

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-017-1488-5

Postprint 27 p, 2.4 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > Group of Smart Nanoengineered Materials, Nanomechanics and Nanomagnetism (Gnm3)
Articles > Research articles
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