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Marin-Ramirez, Oscar, et al. Environmental Nanotechnology, Monitoring & Management 21 (2024): 100947.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowder has been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal route using methanol and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA), with further modifications through Cu²⁺ doping and calcination in distinct gas environments (O₂-rich and H₂-rich). The structural integrity of the resulting materials retained the hexagonal wurtzite phase, with notable changes in lattice parameters and particle sizes, as confirmed by XRD and SEM analyses.
BET surface area measurements revealed enhanced surface characteristics upon Cu doping, which also led to a pronounced violet photoluminescence (PL) signal. Notably, H₂-rich calcination conditions significantly reduced the optical bandgap and facilitated the formation of ZnO/Zn interfacial structures, thereby improving electron mobility and surface reactivity.
The photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanopowder was evaluated using methylene blue dye degradation under UV irradiation. H₂-treated ZnO achieved the highest photocatalytic efficiency with a degradation rate constant of -0.076 min⁻¹, outperforming undoped (-0.041 min⁻¹), Cu-doped (-0.057 min⁻¹), and O₂-calcined ZnO (-0.056 min⁻¹). This enhancement is attributed to the synergistic effect of narrowed bandgap and increased surface defects.
Additionally, PL spectroscopy confirmed that ZnO and ZnO:Cu nanopowders exhibit strong optical responses to ethanol vapor, indicating their potential utility in gas sensing.
This study demonstrates that ZnO nanopowder is used for photocatalytic dye degradation and ethanol vapor sensing, offering a promising route for environmental remediation and sensing applications.
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